Boards of directors continue to navigate a complex, unsettling environment following a year of geopolitical turmoil, social unrest, economic volatility and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, boards are challenged to establish a corporate purpose and a strategy that addresses the needs of a broad group of stakeholders that includes shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, unions, regulators and the community from which the company draws its resources. As boards reflect upon how they have met the challenges presented in 2020, there exists an inflection point for boards to address how their companies are creating sustainable value in an ever-changing landscape. In this Alert, we discuss key priorities for boards in 2021 taking into consideration critical learnings from 2020 and offer suggestions to boards for “what to do now” to address these priorities.

View this Governance & Securities Alert.