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Recent Research Conducted by the Governance & Accountability Institute Attempts to Answer Important Questions for Company Management

In the months of October, November and December each week we will be releasing the top 10 GRI sustainability aspects from three different sectors. The results are based on G&A's "Sustainability - What Matters?" analysis of 1,246 sustainability reports, across 35 sectors, for their level of disclosure around 84 GRI Performance Indicators, and 37 GRI Aspects.

The next three Top 10 GRI Sustainability Aspects released are for the Chemicals, Commercial Services, and Computers sectors. We list them here for your ease of access.

Top 10 GRI Sustainability Aspects for the Chemicals Sector
Sustainability – What Matters in the Chemicals Sector?

Top 10 GRI Sustainability Aspects for the Commercial Services Sector
Sustainability – What Matters in the Commercial Services Sector?

Top 10 GRI Sustainability Aspects for the Computers Sector
Sustainability – What Matters in the Computers Sector? 

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G&A Institute Sustainability Update™
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The Governance & Accountability Instituteblog focusing on the sustainable world evolving daily before our eyes.  Read it, absorb it, question it and challenge.
G&A's Sustainability Update™
Insights & perspectives for your sustainable journey...

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Governance & Accountability Institute Research Reports

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Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility Reporting

G&A Institute is the Global Reporting
Initiative's (GRI) sole data partner for the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. As the data partner we monitor, analyze and database information on all Sustainability reports issued in these territories. For a list of recently issued Sustainability reports please follow the links below:

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Governance & Accountability Institute Service Highlight

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G&A's Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility Reporting
Understanding the complexities (the risks and opportunities) of the ESG operating environment; in the new normal of the capital markets, who is monitoring your company, what are they saying, how are they characterizing your enterprise, and what are the outcomes of this monitoring, ranking, rating and opinion-shaping?  Learn more About G&A's Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility Reporting

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Corporate ESG Performance Factors & SustainabilityHQ

Corporate ESG Performance Factors are important to financial analysts, asset owners and managers, and many stakeholders.  The ESG framework or approach considers environmental issues and impacts, the company’s positioning and actions on social/societal issues, and important aspects of corporate governance.

ESG key performance indicators are considered by investors as proxies for effective governance and management. Increasing numbers of of independent research and financial analysis firms monitor and measure these and advisie investors.  The Sustainability HQ™ platform is an important profiling and monitoring resource for the G&A team, and for our clients and subscribers.

ESG market players and corporate reputation influencers are profiled and monitored by G&A Institute. In these Highlights we provide some results of our continuous global scanning for ESG, sustainability and corporate responsibility news. The Associated Profiles indicated are in our platforms.  For more information, please email us at info@sustainabilityhq.com
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Navigating the way to sustainability...
Contents © 2009 - 2014 | All Rights Reserved
Copyrights for other providers are noted where appropriate. Please credit the source if quoted.
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Top Story of the Week

97% Of Companies Fail To Provide Data On Key Sustainability Indicators
(Thursday - October 16, 2014)
Source: Guardian (UK) - New report finds only 129 of 4,069 largest companies listed on the world’s stock exchanges are disclosing the most basic sustainability information

Sustainability in Focus

5 ways to whet consumers' appetites for sustainability
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - Sustainable consumer behavior has improved only incrementally, and remains stagnant or has become less sustainable in areas such as transportation, housing and consumer goods, according to the 2014 Greendex survey.

10 drivers for sustainability in global food production and consumption
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: Guardian - At a recent roundtable hosted by the Guardian, experts from industry, research and academia discussed how to make the food system more sustainable. Here are 10 things we learned

Divestment backlash shows companies need to improve sustainability reporting
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: The Conversation - Tony Abbott’s criticisms of the ANU’s divestment decision will come back to bite him. The tide of change is such that Vice-Chancellor Ian Young and the ANU Council will be seen as leaders. Others will follow.

Why Sustainability is Integral to Enterprise Risk Management
(Thursday - October 16, 2014)
Source: Triple Pundit - Enterprise risk management (ERM) has long been a growing priority of corporate executives and boards — not a surprise since political, economic and social change can occur quickly. But a study issued by the business reporting

The case for corporate sustainability? Better employees
(Thursday - October 16, 2014)
Source: Guardian (UK) - When it comes to finding and keeping top talent, companies can offer benefits and good pay – but they can also offer a less easily articulated perk: the sense of working toward a higher goal.

steps to bring sustainability to your supply chain
(Friday - October 10, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - According to PwC's Global Supply Chain Survey 2013 (PDF), more than two-thirds of supply chain executives said sustainability will play an increasing role in the supply chains of the future. It's clear that growing consumer...

ESG Issues & Players

World Bank Publishes 2014 Sustainability Report
(Monday - October 20, 2014)
Source: World Bank - The World Bank, a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world, released its web-based 2014 sustainability report. This is the second year the World Bank followed the Global...

The two great fears driving the stock market
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: PBS NewsHour - Amid increasing anxiety about Europe’s shaky economy, investors have been selling off risky stocks in favor of government bonds, usually seen as safer. That’s pushed bond prices higher and yields, which move in the opposite...

Common themes of socially responsible investment
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: FT Adviser - There is no one single definition of SRI: it is common to hear the prefixes “sustainable”, “ethical”, “responsible”, “mission”, “impact” and “green” when reading about socially responsible investing.

Shale Boom Helping American Consumers Like Never Before
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: Bloomberg - Oil traders might see the 27 percent slide in global prices as a bear market. For U.S. consumers, it’s more like an early holiday gift. The drop in crude has pulled retail gasoline down more than 50 cents a gallon from the year’s...

Study Reveals The Dust Bowl Was The Worst Drought In 1,000 Years
(Friday - October 17, 2014) Associated Profiles : Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)
Source: io9 - According to the recent Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, climate change is likely to make droughts in North America worse, and the southwest in particular is expected to become...

Asset Managers, US Pension Funds, Sovereign Wealth Funds

Data shows U.S. economy's pulse is still strong - text/video
(Friday - October 17, 2014)
Source: Reuters - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell to a 14-year low last week and industrial output rose sharply in September, positive signals that helped ease fears over the economic outlook.

Goldman denies duping Gaddafi
(Tuesday - October 07, 2014) Associated Profiles : Libyan Investment Authority
Source: Here Is The City - In court documents, Goldman denied that the Libyan Investment Authority (LIA) had been 'financially illiterate' when entering into trades that proved worthless, and rejected claims that its...

Missouri pension funds ahead of national norms
(Wednesday - October 15, 2014) Associated Profiles : North Dakota Public Employees Retirement System (NDPERS)
Source: Charlotte Observer - Missouri's public employee retirement plans generally are in better financial shape than those nationwide, though there is cause for concern about some, according to a state audit released...

Watching the Watchers

Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
Headquarters: Washington, DC, USA
Established: 1908

ESG/Sustainability Focus:
GMA held a “Sustainability Advantage” conference in October 2009

OVERVIEW/MISSION
The Grocery Manufacturers Association describes itself in brief as “…an advocacy, value chain and scientific powerhouse for the food, beverage and consumer products industry.”

BACKGROUND
GMA was founded in 1908 by food manufacturers as a response to the 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act, which manufacturers helped pass.

STRUCTURE
GMA has three membership categories: general (food manufacturers), affiliate (retailers), and associate (services). More specific information on categories is available online.
GMA has an independent subsidiary called the National Food Lab (NFL) that offers services like sensory evaluation of products, product development, and chemical and microbiological analysis. The NFL calls itself “a consulting firm for the food, beverage and consumer products industries.”

News Sweeps
The hidden costs of GMO labeling
(Monday - October 13, 2014) Associated Profiles : Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
- Mail Tribune & Daily Tidings - They also point to a Huffington Post interview quoting Scott Faber, a former Grocery Manufacturers Association vice president, who said adding a few words to a label has no impact...

So How Does General Mills Really Feel About GMOs'
(Saturday - October 11, 2014) Associated Profiles : Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
- San Antonio Express-News - A single, national policy would be more appropriate, much as the one the Grocery Manufacturers Association also endorses. But the GMA says labels should only be required if "our nation's...

Most Foods Labeled "Natural" Contain GMOs
(Saturday - October 11, 2014) Associated Profiles : Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)
- Outside - GMO labeling advocates point to the fact that their opponents, notably Monsanto, DuPont, and the Grocery Manufacturers Association, outspent labeling supporters five to one. Consumer Reports notes that not...

SustainabilityHQ Highlights is prepared by the Governance & Accountability Institute, Inc. based on continuous monitoring of trends and developments in Sustainability and ESG. The SustainabilityHQ™ platform is available by subscription.

Governance & Accountability Instiute is the “Sustainability Headquarters™” for clients in the corporate, investment, public and social sectors. Based in New York, G&A is a for-profit consulting organization providing a range of value-added strategies, services and resources related to ESG & sustainability to clients in the corporate and capital markets communities.The G&A services portfolio includes:
ESG Counseling, Strategies & Benchmarking | Competitive Benchmarking | Sustainability Coaching, Team Building & Training | Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility Reporting | ESG & CR Issues Monitoring & Research | Stakeholder Identification, Monitoring & Engagement | Awards & Recognitions Program | External Assurance

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