Top Story of the Week Over 45 per cent executives commit to embedding sustainability throughout business in 2015
(Monday - March 16, 2015)
Source: Eco-Business - Embedding sustainability is top priority for 2015: Just over 45% of our respondents stated that embedding sustainability throughout the organization is a top priority for 2015. The second highest priority is creating a culture of... Featured Commentary Op-Ed: Winston Churchill: the ESG community must fight climate change with massive stewardship push (part 1)
(Friday - March 13, 2015)
Source: Responsible Investor - As you have been seeing and experiencing, anthropogenic climate change is disrupting how we live. Continuing to act as though it is not a major challenge that has been worsening year upon year offers our children and theirs the... Op-Ed 2: Winston Churchill: the steps responsible investors must take to prevail on climate change
(Saturday - March 14, 2015)
Source: Responsible Investor - Returning to the unconventional stewardship, which I called for in for my first article, I urge you to follow the guidance of Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Speaking at... Sustainability in Focus 10 Steps to Sustainability Success
(Friday - March 20, 2015)
Source: Globe Street - Every year in the United States commercial organizations spend over $350 billion on energy, and it's estimated that more than $70 billion is wasted due to inefficient buildings, outdated lighting, underperforming HVAC systems and... How businesses can engage consumers in their sustainability stories
(Friday - March 20, 2015)
Source: The Guardian - Communicating simple, inspiring stories of efforts to tackle complex social and environmental issues is an ongoing challenge for today’s businesses. Somewhere amid the cacophony of sustainability communications, consumers are... Leading by Example on Climate Change: Our New Federal Sustainability Plan
(Friday - March 20, 2015)
Source: White House Blog - Late last year, in an historic joint announcement with China, President Obama set an ambitious goal for reducing the greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change – a clear sign that the United States’ commitment to leadership...
McDonald's executive: Wrong people defining 'sustainability'
(Thursday - March 19, 2015)
Source: MidWest Producer - Sustainability is a word that food producers need to be familiar with, because it's a word that isn't going away. "I believe sustainability is growing our business and your business," said Bob Langert, recently... What’s ‘Material’ When It Comes to Sustainability in Business?
(Thursday - March 19, 2015)
Source: Triple Pundit - It’s somewhat opaque and may not roll off the tongue, but “materiality” is an issue of growing importance in corporate boardrooms and executive suites, as well as among shareholder interest groups. As is the case when any new... Sustainability reporting key to good corporate governance
(Wednesday - March 18, 2015)
Source: The Nation.com - Sustainability information can be understood as any information having to do with how corporates use and affect financial, natural and human resources, and how their corporate governance is conducted. The United Nations... The Divestment Distraction and a Positive Vision of Sustainability
(Wednesday - March 18, 2015)
Source: The Energy Collective - The environmental community has long needed to stop bad things from happening and over time has developed the mindset that the job of environmental protection is to avert damage and destruction. Emerging naturally from that... Future Forecast 2020: Sustainability
(Wednesday - March 18, 2015)
Source: American City and County - Sustainability requires municipalities to balance economic growth and environmental issues, while at the same time ensuring a pleasant place to live and work. While approaches to sustainability differ depending on the size and... Can voluntary sustainability standards survive in emerging markets?
(Wednesday - March 18, 2015)
Source: Momgabay.com - Last month, Price Waterhouse Coopers (PwC) published a new edition of its The World in 2050 report. Confirming the findings of previous studies, the report describes a shift in economic power from the global north to the south. Why the Little Guys are Really the Big Guys in Sustainability
(Tuesday - March 17, 2015) Associated Profiles : CSRwire
Source: CSR Wire - When it comes to protecting the environment or improving workers' conditions, you might think the biggest companies are making the biggest positive impact. Multinationals like Apple and McDonald's are so large... The five ingredients of 'the whole enchilada' of supply chain sustainability
(Tuesday - March 17, 2015)
Source: Supply Management - First we need to procure well and to incorporate clear sustainability requirements into our processes and practices. BS 8903 tells us how to do this and the forthcoming ISO 24000 will take those ideas and develop them on to a... The Divestment Distraction and a Positive Vision of Sustainability
(Tuesday - March 17, 2015)
Source: Huff Post - The environmental community has long needed to stop bad things from happening and over time has developed the mindset that the job of environmental protection is to avert damage and destruction. Emerging naturally from that... Lending Sustainably Will Help Future-Proof Businesses - And Make Banks Stronger, Too
(Tuesday - March 17, 2015)
Source: Forbes - As the world’s three biggest economies – the EU, the US and China – unveil their carbon-cutting proposals for the UN climate conference in Paris at the end of the year – it is a reminder of the growing importance of issues such... More demand for sustainable mutual funds
(Monday - March 16, 2015)
Source: Denver Post - More people are looking for investments that not only rise in value but also hold true to their personal values. Enter sustainable mutual funds, which are referred to as socially responsible funds or impact investments. Just as a... Sustainability is a shared commitment
(Monday - March 16, 2015)
Source: High Plains Ag Journal - Bob Langert told attendees at the 102nd KSU Cattlemen’s Day that it was time to transition from defense to offense when it comes to defining sustainability and what that means for the beef industry ESG Issues & Players Oil Drops to Six-Year Low as Dollar Swings Before Fed
(Wednesday - March 18, 2015)
Source: Bloomberg - Oil extended losses to a seventh day, heading toward a bear market, before U.S. stockpiles data, while the dollar fluctuated ahead of the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy decision. Chinese shares surged on bets the government... The (Neglected) Value Of Board Accountability In Corporate Governance
(Wednesday - March 18, 2015)
Source: Valuewalk - The concept of board accountability is central to literature and debates on corporate governance, not least in the United Kingdom and United States. However, as a social phenomenon it is frequently misunderstood, particularly by... The melting of Antarctica was already really bad. It just got worse.
(Tuesday - March 17, 2015)
Source: Washington Post - A hundred years from now, humans may remember 2014 as the year that we first learned that we may have irreversibly destabilized the great ice sheet of West Antarctica, and thus set in motion more than 10 feet of sea level rise. Why water must be on par with energy and carbon issues
(Sunday - March 15, 2015) Associated Profiles : Water Footprint Network
Source: Edie - A report by the Water Footprint Network explains that increasing demand for water may mean that parts of a supply chain could face significantly higher marginal costs to secure such supplies. In addition... Asset Managers, US Pension Funds, Sovereign Wealth Funds Janet Yellen Isn’t Going to Raise Interest Rates Until She’s Good and Ready
(Thursday - March 19, 2015)
Source: NY Times - Upshot - The key words in Janet Yellen’s news conference Wednesday were rather pithy, at least by central bank standards. “Just because we removed the word ‘patient’ from the statement doesn’t mean we are going to be impatient,” Ms.... Divest Harvard Prepares Spring Blitz on Climate Change
(Monday - March 16, 2015) Associated Profiles : California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS)
Source: Boston Magazine - Climate change activists from Australia to South Africa to Venice Beach are calling for swift action from institutions with deep pockets, including the Vatican and CalPERS, California's... Gulf sovereign wealth funds punching above their weight
(Monday - March 16, 2015) Associated Profiles : Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Source: Gulf News - Close to 80 per cent of SWF assets in GCC states are accounted for by three major players the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority with $773 billion, foreign holdings at the Saudi Arabia Monetary... Watching the Watchers Business For Social Responsibility (BSR) 
Headquarters:
San Francisco, California; with offices in New York City; Washington, DC; São Paulo, Brasil; Paris, France; Hong Kong; Beijing, China; and Guangzhou, China.
Established: 1992
OVERVIEW / MISSION
BSR is a membership organization that states: "Our mission is clear: We work with business to create a just and sustainable world." BACKGROUND
BSR was founded in 1992 as a membership association: BSR began operations with approximately 45 founding members including Ben and Jerry’s, Patagonia, Tom’s of Maine, and The Body Shop. Until the late 1990s, membership consisted of mostly U.S.-based companies, including many small- to medium- cap enterprises. As of October 2012, BSR claims 300 member companies around the world and has seven offices in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. BSR has devoted considerable effort to raising awareness in the business community that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a legitimate topic of attention. BSR also invests considerable time and energy in building bridges between the private sector and the growing NGO sector, and promoting the mutual value of transparency. BSR has conducted long-term projects -- often funded by charitable foundations -- to raise awareness of the growing field of CSR. BSR operates numerous working groups, has broken new ground in addressing labor issues in global supply chains, and has established ties to the global network of CSR intermediary organizations such as Instituto Ethos Brazil and Forum EMPRESA, which works across the Americas. BSR has also funded and facilitated regional and local networks in the U.S. that focus on education and networking. In the late 1990s, large global companies began embracing CSR in greater numbers. Responding to demand from all size companies looking more closely at translating principles into practice, BSR began developing direct services designed to help companies advance their own CSR policies and practices. The organization pursued such opportunities based on a view that engaging with large companies recognized for their CSR innovation held the potential for BSR to achieve its core mission of creating a “more just and sustainable world.” News Sweeps Marketing step-up pays off for 32Red in 2014
(Thursday - March 19, 2015) Associated Profiles : Business for Social Responsibility
sbcnews.co.uk - A step-up in marketing investment, aimed at driving top line metric growth has led to 32Red announcing a fifth year of consecutive growth, as the Gibraltar operator announced its final results for 2014 32Red...
Oahu and Hawaii Island Continue to Attract Groups
(Thursday - March 19, 2015) Associated Profiles : Business for Social Responsibility
successfulmeetings.com - Hilton is also busy adding to its Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort. Last summer, Hilton broke ground on a new 418-unit vacation ownership tower, The Grand Islander by Hilton Grand Vacations...
US Patent Office Denies General Electric's Requests for Reexamination of TransData's Smart Electric Meter Patents
(Thursday - March 19, 2015) Associated Profiles : Business for Social Responsibility
utilitydive.com - US Patent Office Denies General Electric's Requests for Reexamination of TransData's Smart Electric... -- | Check It Out...
G&A Institute Sustainability Update™
Informative, insightful, thought provoking
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...
Recent Posts Capitalizing on Capital Markets Through ESG – A Commentary This Week on Forbes’ Blog by Chris Skroupa… Communicating About Corporate Sustainability – The Challenges It’s Morning, Again, In America…Or Is It? _______________________________
Governance & Accountability Institute Research Reports
   
 
Learn more @ G&A!
_______________________________ 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:
 _______________________________ Featured Events |  | How Business Can Tackle Deforestation
Innovation Forum
14-15 April 2015 | Washington, DC
G&A Discount Code: GA15 | *SAVE THE DATE*
Shareholder Activism Program
Baruch College | NYC | April 21st | 
| 
| 
|  |  |  |
_______________________________
Governance & Accountability Institute Service Highlight
Many Reasons to Contact
Governance & Accountability Institute.
Is this one yours?
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 _______________________________
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 Sustainability HQ™ platforms. For more information, please email us at info@sustainabilityhq.com
_______________________________
Navigating the way to sustainability...
Contents © 2009 - 2015 | All Rights Reserved
Copyrights for other providers are noted where appropriate. Please credit the source if quoted.
_______________________________ |
Join us on LinkedIN
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Sign up for SHQ Highlights