In advising non-director officers about conduct that could give rise to fiduciary claims, it is prudent to routinely advise that they take steps to meet the conditions of the business judgment rule. However, practitioners should also keep in mind that there may be a question whether officers will be entitled to that protection.

Sophie L’Helias, a senior fellow with The Conference Board Governance Center and founder of the LeaderXXchange, was named to Global Proxy Watch’s “2018 GPW 10” list.

Despite research suggesting most consumers feel that businesses should take an active role in driving social and environmental changes, in 2019 companies are likely to tone down their public advocacy. As companies plan for 2019 with a divided government in Washington, it could be important to navigate new policies and regulations with dialogue on the issues.

Collaboration between humans and machines can make our online communities much more vibrant and relevant. Companies looking to understand and engage with customers through online communities need to consider how artificial intelligence and human collaboration can be used together to augment understanding of data and advance know-how.

This Q&A with Norm Prestage discusses the job of the corporate director from his perspective as a partner with EY. He feels like the best directors have a deep understanding of company strategy and risk profile, act as a sounding board for management, and are keenly aware of stakeholder concerns.