Three Qs & As with Law and Corporate Responsibility Professor Kernaghan Webb

Question 1: What does an average teaching week look like for you?

Professor Webb:  It's very busy at the moment. Currently, I teach Ryerson University courses at the undergraduate level (Law 533 -- CSR and the Law, and Law 525 -- Law of the Marketplace), at the graduate level in the MBA program (MB 8103 -- Managing Responsibly, with Professor Phil Walsh), and in the continuing education program (CZMN 200 -- Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability). And I also supervise Masters and Doctorate students who are doing amazing, leading-edge research. One Masters student is doing in-depth work concerning how a multinational corporation has responded to a bribery/corruption scandal it faced.  Two others are exploring innovative "non-state" approaches to regulating the environmental and social impacts of the mining sector. A PhD student I am supervising is exploring the normative/regulatory capabilities of social media. I have a graduate student conducting investigations of how to address climate change through a combined state and non-state  (PDF file) sustainable governance (external link)  approach, another is exploring how firms are addressing Covid while acting as responsible corporate citizens, yet another is examining how to transition from disposable to re-usable fast food containers, and another is exploring the use of transparency and multi-stakeholder initiatives to enhance government regulatory capacity in developing countries.  

So between preparing for classes, doing the actual teaching, setting up the exams and assignments and marking them, and then meeting with grad students regarding their research, there's a lot going on. But the great thing is that the subjects that I am teaching are so interesting and fast moving, and my students ask such great questions and are always bringing new information to my attention, so taken together the effect is that I'm really kept on my toes regarding the latest developments.   

Question 2:  What about research and publications?

Professor Webb: I've got a variety of projects on the go. Probably the biggest is a multi-phase research initiative on "social media and responsible communication (external link) ," which explores the need for a combined government and non-state approach to curb societally harmful digital misinformation and disinformation. I'm also doing some research on the capabilities of information disclosure as a regulatory mechanism, and another project examining innovative regulatory opportunities associated with the circular and sharing economies.  

With respect to publications, I try to keep a balance between short practical pieces for direct use by government, the private sector and civil society, such as an article I did about what I call "covid pivots (external link) ," published in Policy Options (external link) , and more lengthy academic works, such as a recent article (with co-authors) concerning climate change (external link) , published in Energy Policy (external link)   My research and publications offer me a wonderful opportunity to work with professors from around the world (as with the climate change article), but also with my graduate students, such as an article co-authored with one graduate student of mine concerning convergence of state and non-state instruments in the municipal sector (external link) , and another co-authored with a different graduate student concerning use of state and non-state governance approaches to address shared water resources (external link) . I also have been fortunate to do research for a range of state and non-state organizations. It's very rewarding to be able to draw on my research and writing in my teaching.

Question 3:  Is there anything else you are doing?

Professor Webb: To me, what I call my outreach activities -- non-teaching activities with students, professors, and others here at Ryerson, and my work beyond the University -- are an important way for me to stay on top of things and to give back to the community. Being the Director of the Institute for the Study of CSR means being in constant contact with officials in government, the private sector, and civil society organizations, as well as professors, as I arrange upcoming events and initiatives through the Ryerson CSR Institute. As well, I'm the faculty mentor for the Ryerson University CSR Student Association (external link) , and I'm on the Admissions Committee reviewing sustainable business project pitches for Ryerson University's Social Ventures Zone.  

Beyond the University, I have a leadership role in the international standards work of ISO on the Sharing Economy (external link) , I'm a member of the CSA Strategic Steering Committee on Organizational Management & Sustainability, I am on the Climate Advisory Committee for Toronto, I'm a judge for the UN Global Compact Network Canada's SDG Accelerator Awards (external link) , and I act as an advisor or consultant to inter-governmental bodies, government agencies, businesses, and non-governmental organizations.  

I am delighted and honoured that these organizations are seeking my advice, and the truth of the matter is, I learn so much in the process that I apply to my teaching and research -- it's a classic "win win" situation.