Beyond Compliance: A Jurisprudential Exploration of Corporate Accountability

Corporate accountability is more than just following the rules; it’s about balancing legal obligations with ethical responsibilities. This paper examines the question of what true accountability looks like in corporate governance by analysing key jurisprudential theories, including natural law, Fuller’s inner morality of law, command theory, Kelsen’s pure theory, and Hart’s system theory. Using real-world examples like the Enron scandal, it highlights how simply meeting legal requirements often falls short of ensuring ethical corporate behaviour. The paper argues for a more nuanced approach—one that integrates the clarity of legal rules with the adaptability to reflect shifting societal expectations. By embracing this balance, corporations can move beyond box-ticking compliance and embed genuine accountability as a core value, building trust and fostering sustainable governance.