Entrevista a Edward E. Freeman, padre de la teoria de los Stakeholders, Diplomado Honoris Causa de la Universidad Pontificia de Comillas

Flo Segura: Do you think stakeholders management is the future for companies to
achieve sustainability goals?

Eduard Freeman: I think that if a company wants to be successful in any endeavor including sustainability, it has to simultaneously create value for customers,
suppliers, employees, communities (and society) and financiers
(shareholders, etc.). Business is about creating value for stakeholders.

Flo Segura: Is the term stakeholders management cohesive with sistemic theories
regarding shared value and co- creation?

Edward Freeman: Yes, these ideas are consistent with stakeholder management. I see them as derivative, since the stakeholder idea has been around a long time.
But, I am very happy that a number of people have invented these new ideas
to try and accomplish some similar goals.

Flo : Is it appropiate to connect stakeholders management and corporate governance or you think a better word should be Stakeholders engagement?

Edward Freeman: Well, corporate governance often refers to problems or issues with Boards of Directors, and to contrast 'shareholders" with 'stakeholders". For me, shareholders are one of the stakeholders, and the interests of all of them have to go in the same direction. This is more a matter of good management and leadership, and good judgement, than a structural issue of governance. The only way to do it, is to engage the stakeholders directly in the purpose of a business.