The Aspen Corporate Values Strategy Group (CVSG) is focused on ensuring that corporate and investment practice better supports the long-term health of society. Short-term pressures in today's capital markets restrict the ability of business to do what it does best—create quality goods and services, invest in innovation, and develop human capital. Rebalancing the short-term/long-term focus of business will make it possible to bring a wider view to the role of business, one that encompasses both fiscal and societal well-being.

What is CVSG?

CVSG is a unique business-labor-investor coalition dedicated to ensuring the long-term health of society through business practice and policy that create and reward long-term value.

Program strategies include:

Convenings and dialogues. Bringing together senior business leaders, investors, corporate governance experts, labor leaders, and academics to discuss strategies for promoting change in business practice, investment practice and policy in support of long-term competitiveness.

Drafting of and outreach related to the Aspen Principles (Long-Term Value Creation: Guiding Principles for Corporations and Investors, released June 2007) and the policy corollary to the Principles, released September 2009, “Overcoming Short-termism: A Call for a More Responsible Approach to Investment and Business Management.”

Complementing these primary program strategies are some new endeavors including the development of a fellowship for future leaders in finance (anticipated launch March 2014) and design of the Prize the Future competition.

CVSG in 2013
History of the CVSG
CVSG Supporters
Master Participant List (2003-present)

Recent CVSG Events

Academic-Practitioner Roundtables on The Purpose(s) of the Corporation

This roundtable series convenes executives and business and legal scholars in dialogue about the purpose of the firm and the role of "shareholder value" in corporate governance and evaluation of firm performance. Click here for summaries and agendas of past roundtables, videos, blogs, and other resources on this topic.

Five Year Anniversary Celebration of "the Aspen Principles"

On June 21, 2012, we gathered in the Aspen Institute NYC office to celebrate the five-year anniversary of the Principles for Long-Term Value Creation, a.k.a. "the Aspen Principles." Joining us were a group of women leaders in corporate governance, several of whom were present for the drafting of the Principles in early 2007. During this afternoon dialogue, we looked back at what has been accomplished in the past five years and looked ahead at new and ongoing challenges. A list of participants is available here.

CVSG Resources for Further Information:

• See more about what we have been doing at CVSG 2013, the History of CVSG, and Archived Events.
• Read the Compelling Case for Change, a document prepared by the Business and Society Program to address short-termism in U.S. capital markets.
• For more information on our work in changing business and investor practice, you may wish to view the Aspen Principles. For more information on our work in helping to create a more enabling environment, check out our policy work.
• Read what other people have been saying about the CVSG on our Press Page, or where we've shared our thoughts on the Publications Page or in various blogs including the Huffington Post.

To become a member of the CVSG, please contact Rebecca.Darr[at]aspeninstitute.org.

Archived Events