Part I: Corporate Reputation as a Strategic Asset: Meeting Society's Changing Expectations

Abstract

The conference began with a brief statement by Conference Chair Charles Fombrun of New York University's Stern School of Business. Professor Fombrun welcomed the 120 international participants to the Stern School and invited Clive Chajet, the former Chairman of Lippincott & Margulies - the identity consulting firm - to examine why corporate reputations have become a topic of critical concern to companies. Mr Chajet highlighted some of the global forces shaping industrial change, and hence the growing importance of reputations as competitive weapons in major companies. Following Mr Chajet's presentation, Dr Fombrun welcomed Karen de Segundo, a senior executive in charge of Public Affairs for the Royal Dutch/Shell group of companies, the official sponsors of the conference. He thanked Ms de Segundo on behalf of the conference participants, as well as other key executives from Royal Dutch/Shell who were in attendance. Ms de Segundo addressed the assembly on the importance of corporate reputation to large companies like Royal Dutch/Shell, and reflected in particular on some of the company's recent efforts to examine society's changing expectations of multinational companies.