Supply Chain Inquiries / Surveys Creating Questionnaire Fatigue
Lets Stop the Madness and Confusion, Writes Lou Coppola As we travel the sustainability / responsibility meetings circuit, we often hear from corporate managers about their “questionnaire and survey fatigue” as they receive many, many queries on their supply chain practices. Some large-cap company sustainability managers speak of receiving 200, even up to 300 requests per year for information related to their operations, emissions, diversity policies, water use, policies on raw material sourcing, oversight of labor conditions, the practices of their contractors’ factories, and more. This is not to minimize the importance of knowing more about these aspects of corporate operations. Stakeholders are asking important questions. In response, companies are now taking a closer look at their supply chain policies and practices, and their global sourcing. Brand marketers recognize the negative impact of reports about trouble in the supply chain that can quickly impact on the familiar label. (One after the Rana Plaza factory collapse in Bangladesh that killed more than 1,000 in April 2013, this month there were solemn observations in memory of the victims in various countries.) Globalization of the supply chain has spread over most large companies’ operations, with company and subcontractor production, to many countries. As consumers, investors, regulators, NGOs, and other stakeholders are asking for more transparency in the large company operations around the world, the companies in turn are querying their own suppliers…who are beginning to survey their suppliers. This is a result of the large customer embracing the concept that the suppliers’ operations, and even their suppliers’ suppliers operations, are part of the large enterprises’ “sustainability footprint.”  G&A Institute EVP Louis Coppola comments on some aspects of these trends on our Sustainability Update blog.
The goal of knowing more about the supply chain is important and can have huge impacts on supplier relationships, the sustainability of global economies, protection of the environment, and society-at-large. But – why are organizations creating their own and new and unique frameworks and sending out questionnaires to collect data when there are effective global frameworks readily available for suppliers to use? (why is this open quotation mark here?) “Let’s get more efficient when it comes to asking for ESG information from suppliers…there are existing, globally accepted frameworks for presenting data and narrative about the supply chain. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is a prime example. Top Story of the Week 
Supply Chain Sustainability Data Requests
– Stop the Madness
(Tuesday April 22 2014)
Source: Louis Coppola, Partner and Executive Vice President, The Governance & Accountability Institute - Companies are increasingly asking their supply chain for data on Environmental, Social and Governance issues. This data is important and can have huge impacts on supplier relationships…
Sustainability in Focus How To Create A Sustainable Brand In 90 Minutes
(Friday - April 25, 2014)
Source: TMCnet.com - (3BL Media Via Acquire Media News Edge) Book Review: Latest in the Do Shorts series - Creating a Sustainable Brand by Henk Campher. Simplicity is... Severe Weather Increases Food Insecurity: Prevention Through Sustainability
(Friday - April 25, 2014)
Source: AccuWeather - According to the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), extreme changes in weather increase the risks of hunger and undernutrition through droughts, floods and climate-related disasters that have the potential to destroy crops... Calculating the Value of Health Care Sustainability
(Friday - April 25, 2014)
Source: CSRWire - What do roof shingles, intravenous tubing, floor cleaners and heart catheters have in common? They’re all necessary to run a hospital. The wide array of products needed in the health care setting, coupled with pressure on health... Growing a sustainable future
(Thursday - April 24, 2014)
Source: Press-Democrat - On Wednesday, April 30 the Sustainable Enterprise Conference will take place at the Sonoma Mountain Village in Rohnert Park. Now in its ninth year, this event has become the North Bay’s green business forum designed to help businesses, non-profits, academic and government organizations transition to economic, environmental and social sustainability. Shape & Innovate: How to master the sustainability two-step
(Thursday - April 24, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - In my 10 years at Forum for the Future, I have seen a shift in the mindsets of senior executives at leading companies. In the early 2000s, their attitude was summed up by the word "responsibility:" Companies had a responsibility... How Top Companies Are Creating Sustainable Brands
(Thursday - April 24, 2014)
Source: Environmental Leader - As interest in purchasing sustainable products becomes more mainstream among consumers, corporations are increasingly invested in creating sustainable brands, and spending on product sustainability initiatives is expected to... The Evolution of Sustainablty Reporting
(Wednesday - April 23, 2014)
Source: Insurance News Net - Businesses are increasingly motivated to address sustainability issues and related risks. Several factors have driven this heightened awareness, including regulation, pressure from investors and customers, an internal commitment... Decades of Research Show Increased Sustainability for American Agriculture
(Wednesday - April 23, 2014)
Source: USDA Blog - US agricultural producers have been engaged in sustainable farming practices for many years as an inherent part of their work. They need the environment to flourish and thrive in order to continue producing the foods we eat... When Sustainability Is 'Sexier' Than Gender For The Boardroom
(Wednesday - April 23, 2014)
Source: Forbes - It is taking far too long for the argument that gender diversity is a business issue to capture the imagination of boardrooms. But at least in Europe recognition is growing that this is an issue that is not going away until it is...
A Funder’s View of Sustainability
(Tuesday - April 22, 2014)
Source: Memphis Daily News - As the Mid-South’s philanthropic partner since 1969, the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis is clearly here to stay. That’s why we are interested in initiatives that make our area more livable and connected right now and for...
Does sustainability need a new competitive approach?
(Tuesday - April 22, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - Last week, I was invited to become a LinkedIn author, something GreenBiz executive editor and chairman Joel Makower has been since early last year. My first two posts touched on sustainability, but focused on the future of...
Sustainability and Employee Engagement: Don’t Forget the Fun
(Monday - April 21, 2014)
Source: TriplePundit - Sustainability is a concept that is supported by 97 percent of top executives, according to a U.N./Accenture CEO study. CEOs like the cost savings that result from sustainability programs because they are immediately measurable.... Why Wal-Mart Buying Into Sustainability Matters
(Monday - April 21, 2014)
Source: US News - Combinations of good and bad are unfortunately all too common. Wal-Mart’s low prices appeal to consumers, but they destroy Main Street retail shops, drive down wage rates and damage local economies. Wal-Mart’s aggressive... ESG Issues & Players Poor Corporate Governance Fueled Sony’s Meltdown
(Wednesday - April 23, 2014)
Source: Nippon.com - There is no end in sight for the decline of Sony Corp. The company announced in its February 2014 financial report that its forecast for consolidated earnings in fiscal 2013 has been revised downward significantly, from an...
Good Business: Why Placing Ethics Before Profits Pays Off
(Monday April 21, 2014)
Source: Gulf Business - Ethics is an admirable quality and a personal goal for many individuals, but does it work for organizations? Does an ethical business need ethical employees or can it managed by a single virtuos whip-cracker? On a stakeholder... An In-Depth Look At The Future Of American Energy And How We Get There
(Monday April 21, 2014)
Source: Forbes - Imagine a world where homes not only run on clean electricity but also generate, store, and sell it. A world where power companies get paid for conserving energy, not just producing it. Where, when supplies are tight, the power... New Study: Corporate Boards Exceeding Oversight Requirements On Environmental And Social Issues
(Tuesday - April 29, 2014)
Source: Investor Responsibility Research Center Institute - Corporate boards are exceeding legal oversight requirements on environmental and social issues, with more than half of S&P 500 companies providing board level oversight of environmental... Asset Managers, US Pension Funds, Sovereign Wealth Funds Sovereign wealth & pension funds top investors among global funds that bet on Indian equities
(Wednesday - April 23, 2014) Associated Profiles : Kuwait Investment Authority
Source: The Economic Times - "We have not seen a pickup in interest from new funds." Sovereign wealth funds such as Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, Kuwait Investment Authority and that of Norway have been major investors in... The Most Active Sovereign Wealth Fund Investors of 2013
(Monday - April 21, 2014) Associated Profiles : National Fund [of Kazakhstan]
Source: - swfinstitute.org - 2013 was a milestone year for sovereign wealth funds acquiring companies and assets. According to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute’s proprietary transaction database, 2012 transactions amounted to US$... Some call pensions archaic, others call it best way to go
(Wednesday - April 23, 2014) Associated Profiles : Florida Retirement System Pension Plan
Source: - The News-Press - Contrast this with public employees, many of whom can retire in middle age with taxpayer-paid pensions for the rest of their lives and you have the heart of the debate in the Legislature over changing the way the... Watching the Watchers  Investors Against Genocide
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts
Established: organization announced January 26, 2007, “Holocaust Remembrance Day”
KEY PARTNERS
Massachusetts Coalition to Save Darfur, and various grassroots investors-activists.
Also, members of the US House of Representatives and US Senate have been involved.
OVERVIEW /MISSION
“The goal of Investors Against Genocide is to convince financial institutions to make a commitment that they will not invest in genocide.”
BACKGROUND
Investors Against Genocide is a nonprofit organization that works to convince investors -- particularly broadly-owned mutual funds -- to avoid investments in companies complicit in genocide. The group writes: “In particular, we want investment firms to avoid or divest holdings of PetroChina (Chinese company), Sinopec (Chinese company), ONGC (Indian company), and Petronas (Malaysian company), the four major oil companies that are partnering with the Government of Sudan and helping to fund the genocide in Darfur.”
Despite the focus on Darfur in that statement, IAG generally asks mutual fund advisory boards of directors of mutual funds and management of investment firms to adopt a more general resolution. Shareholder proposal submissions include this text: Shareholders request that the Board institute transparent procedures to prevent holding investments in companies that, in management's judgment, substantially contribute to genocide or crimes against humanity, the most egregious violations of human rights. The IAG notes that ordinary investors are often inadvertently investing in genocide and observes that “When confronted with the problem of investing in genocide, many investment companies ignore the moral issue... even when they know that companies are substantially contributing to genocide.” Mention is also made of socially responsible investments (SRI), but “…these are not offered by most 401k plans and also are more limited in the diversity of their offerings…” News Sweeps
JPMorgan issues Proxy Statement Opposing Genocide-Free Investing Proposal
(Friday - April 18, 2014) Associated Profiles : Investors Against Genocide
- L'online di Tribuna Economica - If their business practices reflect support for human rights, then why do they continue to own and buy more shares of foreign oil companies tied to genocide, asks Eric Cohen,...
Gains for Proposal to Avoid Investments Tied to Genocide, Despite JPMorgan Opposition
(Wednesday - April 16, 2014) Associated Profiles : Investors Against Genocide
- L'online di Tribuna Economica - The proposal was submitted to JPMorgan Chase as part of an ongoing shareholder action led by îInvestors Against Genocide, a citizen-led initiative, dedicated to convincing mutual funds... JP Morgan Shareholders Will See Human Rights Proxy Ballot
(Wednesday - March 26, 2014) Associated Profiles : Investors Against Genocide
- institutionalinvestor.com - The proposal was submitted to JP Morgan in late November as part of an ongoing effort led by Investors Against Genocide, a privately funded Boston-based non-profit. It asks that the... | Check It Out...
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