Corporate accountability is the acknowledgement and assumption of responsibility for the consequences of a company's actions. It can be defined in narrowly financial terms, e.g. for a business to meet certain standards or address the regulatory requirements of its business activities.[1] Corporate accountability may also be applied more broadly, such as expectations for a publicly-traded company to be accountable to its employees and local community rather than focusing exclusively on earning profits in the short-term for the benefit of its shareholders.[2]