The arrival on the world stage of powerful companies from emerging economies, such as Rosneft, the Russian state-controlled oil giant, and Lenovo, the Chinese personal computer maker, is reshaping global business and giving fresh impetus to the debate about its responsibilities.

Will tomorrow’s corporate leviathans adhere to common standards of governance, environmental protection and intellectual property rights? Will they use their influence to collaborate with governments and civil society to tackle problems such as climate change and poverty? Will they be equal to the challenge of managing a global workforce comprising disparate beliefs and expectations?