R. Edward Freeman

Writing for Fortune, R. Edward Freeman, professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, says we are approaching a pivotal moment for stakeholder capitalism. As several leaders who have championed a more inclusive, stakeholder-driven approach to business near retirement, who will carry this torch forward?

Is power inherently bad? Why do social class disparities emerge in organizations, and how can those organizations mitigate inequality — do they change hearts and minds or internal structure? Darden Professors Ed Freeman and Peter Belmi discuss power, leadership and inequality on The Stakeholder Podcast.

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change issued its assessment report on the increasing urgency of addressing climate change. Here Ed Freeman connects with Mike Lenox on the urgency around climate change and why stakeholder engagement is vital to solving one of the toughest political, engineering and technological problems.

The U.S. faces many societal challenges. Here, two generations argue for a solution: the embrace of an entrepreneurial spirit. Business can be part of the solution, and there are specific actions we can take to encourage and accelerate the positive effects new businesses bring to society.

In The Stakeholder Podcast, Professor Ed Freeman interviews Bill Shelton, who leveraged his success for social good. They discuss race in business, sports in society and how the habits of elite athletes can translate into career performance. Shelton’s EOS helps female athletes translate their success into corporate careers and sponsorships.

In Darden Professor Ed Freeman’s recent book with Oxford Professor Dominic Scott, Models of Leadership in Plato and Beyond, the two professors explore Plato’s ideas on leadership and how his ideas can be applied to modern business leadership principles. 

In The Stakeholder Podcast, Professor Ed Freeman interviews Kip Tindell, founder of The Container Store, about starting a business where everyone thrives thanks to the simplest form of the stakeholder model. They discuss optimism about the post-pandemic era, employees as true partners, and how to fix the capital markets to protect stakeholders.

In The Stakeholder Podcast, Professor Ed Freeman interviews Carolyn Miles, former CEO of Save the Children, on how the pandemic changed work and how organizations can overcome institutional inertia and leverage the lessons of the pandemic to be stronger, create more loyalty, be more sustainable and enhance the future of the entire enterprise.

How to address ethical dilemmas effectively: The Giving Voice to Values (GVV) approach helps individuals recognize and act on their values in the face of conflict — more than theory, it’s about practicality. In a new book edited by GVV pioneer Mary Gentile, experts Ed Freeman and Brian Moriarty discuss GVV and the pragmatic philosophy of John Dewey

Russell Diez-Canseco, CEO of Vital Farms, a partner company of Conscious Capitalism Inc and Alexander McCobin, CEO of Conscious Capitalism Inc., tell Professor Freeman what changed their minds from “shareholder value maximizers” and led them to become two of the most outspoken advocates for stakeholder-centered capitalism.