MIT Sloan Management Review Article on Bringing Lessons From #MeToo to the Boardroom

Boards need to be proactive in shaping a corporate culture that does not tolerate sexual harassment.

Corporate sexual harassment scandals have abounded in recent headlines, with organizations such as The Weinstein Co., Fox News, Uber Technologies, Wynn Resorts, Lululemon Athletica, and others finding themselves under a harsh spotlight. In each case, the company emerged from scandal with its reputation significantly damaged.

Has your board reflected upon the #MeToo and #TimesUp social movements, and about the continuing wave of CEO resignations amid misconduct allegations? Whether you are a member of the board of a public, private, or nonprofit company, procedures for addressing and preventing sexual harassment must be on your board’s agenda. Directors need to do the right thing for employees, for customers, and for all stakeholders. The time for boards to act is now.

About the Author

Patricia Lenkov is founder and president of Agility Executive Search LLC. Known for her work on board diversity and a member of the Women & Leadership Advisory Council at Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, Lenkov holds a BA (with distinction) in psychology from McGill University in Montreal, and an MBA from Concordia University. She tweets @Patricia_Lenkov. Denise Kuprionis is founder and president of The Governance Solutions Group (GSG), a board advisory practice. Kuprionis is a senior fellow at the Conference Board’s Governance Center, is a National Association of Corporate Directors Board Governance Fellow, and a visiting professor at Xavier University, Cincinnati, Ohio. She tweets @mdkup.

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