Reflexive Law and Section 172 Reporting: Evolution of Social Responsibility within Company Law Limits?

Abstract

This article examines whether the evolution of company narrative reporting based on section 172 UK Companies Act 2006 can be characterised as reflexive law, which preserves the balance between utilitarian company law shareholder value approach and the corporate responsibility demands by society; thereby mediating between semi-autonomous sub-systems of company law and social responsibility. It discovers an evolving process in company law, which has some indications of reflexive law and governance within self-imposed limits of non-interference in ‘private’ spheres of governance. The result is progressive in scope but incapable of delivering radical normative shift in company law towards stakeholder responsibility. Company law, company reporting, reflexive law, reflexive governance, social responsibility.