Top Story of the Week Disturbing Survey on Business Ethics
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)
Source: Sustainable Business Forum - The Ethics Resource Center recently published their bi-annual business ethics survey, looking at the American business environment. While I would not say the changes in results are remarkably different from their prior survey... 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. Recent Sustainability and CR Reports issued in the USA, UK and Ireland are: USA UK ESG / Sustainability UN: 2.4 Million Human Trafficking Victims
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)Associated Profiles : Verité
Source: AP- The U.N. crime-fighting office said Tuesday that 2.4 million people across the globe are victims of human trafficking at any one time, and 80 percent of them are being exploited as sexual slaves. Coastal Areas Biggest Losers in Global Warming
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)Associated Profiles : Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)
Source: The Daily Gamecock - Locations most popular in U.S prone to worst natural disaster damages. Global warming is officially upon us. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has accepted it, and released a 582-page report last ... Muddy Waters: Be Wary of Hong Kong Listed Chinese Companies
(Tuesday - April 03, 2012)Associated Profiles : CII
Source: CNN Money - For the past two years, Muddy Waters has been the ultimate whistle blower of questionable accounting practices by Chinese companies trading on U.S. and Canadian stock exchanges. Now, the research firm says investors need to... China Complains About Apple's Human Rights
(Thursday - March 29, 2012)Associated Profiles : Fair Labor Association
Source: AFP - The man tipped to be China's next leader has told Apple that foreign firms should protect workers, state media said Thursday, as the US giant fends off criticism over factory conditions in China. Reports Gallup: Americans Worried More About Economy Than Environment
(Friday - March 30, 2012)
Source: The Hill - Americans continue to be more concerned with economic growth than the environment, according to a new Gallup survey. With the economy seemingly on the upswing, Gallup reported that 49 percent of Americans sided with the economy... Commentary That Sound You Hear Is the Euro Cracking
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)
Source: Time - A breakup in the euro zone just got more real with the announcement of the short list for the Wolfson Economics Prize, a prestigious economics award that has the biggest payout (£250,000, or about $400,000) after the Nobel Prize.... Sovereign Wealth Funds Rules Loosen for Old Clients on Yuan Deals
(Tuesday - April 03, 2012)Associated Profiles : Hong Kong (China) Monetary Authority -- Investment Portfolio
Source: The Standard - The Hong Kong Monetary Authority has eased due diligence requirements for cross-border yuan trade "back to international levels" following requests by the financial services sector. As Norway Funds Rainforest Conservation, Its Pension Fund Invests in Companies Driving Deforestation
(Friday - March 30, 2012)Associated Profiles : Norwegian Government Pension Fund – Global (Statens pensjonsfond – Utland) , Norwegian Government Pension Fund - Norway
Source: Monga Bay- At the same time that it is committing hundreds of millions of dollars a year to protecting rainforests, Norway is investing more than 13 billion dollars a year via its pension fund in dozens of companies linked to deforestation... Carbon Tax 'Worst Piece of Reform'
(Friday - March 30, 2012)Associated Profiles : Future Fund (Australia)
Source: Daily Telegraph- THE carbon tax is the "worst piece of economic reform'' ever seen in Australia, according to the outgoing chairman of the Future Fund. Gaddafi Family Assets Seized in Italy
(Thursday - March 29, 2012)Associated Profiles : Libyan Investment Authority
Source: Guardian.co.uk- Assets worth more than €1-billion belonging to the late Muammar Gaddafi, his son and his intelligence chief have been seized in Italy in raids. Asset Managers Dimming QE3 Hopes, Renewed Euro Worries Slam Global Markets
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)Associated Profiles : HSBC Global Asset Management
Source: Fox Business- Global markets came under strong selling pressure as traders reacted to a weak Spanish bond auction and minutes from the Fed suggesting the central bank may hold off on fresh asset buying. Goldman Sachs Announces Board changes
(Monday - April 02, 2012)Associated Profiles : TIAA-CREF (“T-C”)
Source: Theflyonthewall.com - The Goldman Sachs Group announced the following changes to its Board of Directors: John H. Bryan will not stand for re-election at the company's 2012 Annual Meeting of Shareholders consistent with the ... Boardroom Pay Needs Overhaul, Say Leading Pension Funds
(Friday - March 30, 2012)Associated Profiles : Hermes Equity Ownership Services
Source: Guardian Unlimited- Group led by Hermes EOS calls for three-year bonuses linked to earnings per share to be replaced by simpler schemes Britain's biggest pension funds have called for a radical overhaul of boardroom pay in an effort to end the ... Institutional Shareholder Services Raises the Bar for Transparency and Responsiveness
(Thursday - March 29, 2012)Associated Profiles : TIAA-CREF (“T-C”)
Source: BusinessWire - Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (ISS), a leading provider of corporate governance solutions to the global financial community, today announced that it has established a new Feedback Review Board, setting a new high water ... | 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 _______________________________
SustainabilityHQ™ is the headquarters for important ESG, sustainability and responsibility news, commentary and research results. Key capital market players focused on Sustainability and ESG (environmental management, social issues and effective corporate governance) are profiled with considerable relevant information, and updated regularly. Third party organizations shaping corporate valuations, access to capital and corporate reputations are profiled and news is updated every day. Log in and check it out! _______________________________
Governance & Accountability Institute Services Portfolio - ESG Counseling, Strategies & Benchmarking
- Sustainability Coaching, Team Building & Training
- Corporate Sustainability & Responsibility Reporting
- ESG & CR Issues Monitoring & Research
- Stakeholder Identification, Monitoring & Engagement
- Strategic Risk Management _______________________________  Strategic Governance - Enabling Financial, Environmental, and Social Sustainability
A new book by Hank Boerner and Mark Sickles of the Governance & Accountability Institute. Click here for more information.
_______________________________ For more on: ESG & Sustainability Players
- Shaping Perceptions, Valuations & Decision-Making
Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs)
- State-Owned Global Investors US Public Sector Investors
- State and Municipal Retirement Funds Asset Managers
- Investors adopting ESG guidelines / policies & shaping market trends |
  
Navigating the way to
Sustainability... Contents © 2009 - 2012
All Rights Reserved Copyrights for other providers
are noted where appropriate.
Please credit the source if quoted. _______________________________ |
US Pension Funds Iowa Pension Fund Sues Audit Firm Over Fraud Loss
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)Associated Profiles : Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS)
Source: KEYC - TV - DES MOINES, Iowa - The Iowa Public Employees' Retirement System has sued a New York-based auditing firm, alleging that the company failed to detect a theft scheme that cost the pension fund millions ... Pensions Find Riskier Funds Fail to Pay Off
(Monday - April 02, 2012)Associated Profiles : Pennsylvania State Employees Retirement System , Employees Retirement System of Georgia (ERSGA)
Source: NY Times - Searching for higher returns to bridge looming shortfalls, public workers’ pension funds across the country are increasingly turning to riskier investments in private equity, real estate and hedge funds. Teachers, Firefighters Oppose VRS Pension Reforms
(Friday - March 30, 2012)Associated Profiles : Virginia Retirement System
Source: Richmond Times Dispatch - Pension reforms enacted in the final hours of the General Assembly are under attack by teachers, firefighters and advocates who say the proposed changes wouldn't provide future state and local government employees enough income... Reports Pension Plan Funding Rebound Continues
(Wednesday - April 04, 2012)
Source: Mercer - New York - The aggregate deficit in pension plans sponsored by S&P 1500 companies fell to $336 billion at March 31, 2012, a decrease of $147 billion from year end 2011, according to new figures from Mercer. This deficit...[more] Watching the Watchers  Fair Trade USA
Headquarters: Oakland, CA
Established: 1998
ESG Focus: Yes – Fair Trade Certification includes environmental sustainability as a major principle.
KEY PARTNERS
Member of Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International (international coalition). Business affiliations include: Ben & Jerry’s; Azhena’s; Green Mountain Coffee®; Starbucks Wholesome Sweeteners; others.
OVERVIEW/MISSION
Fair Trade USA states its mission as: “[Fair Trade USA] enables sustainable development and community empowerment by cultivating a more equitable global trade model that benefits farmers, workers, consumers, industry and the earth. We achieve our mission by certifying and promoting Fair Trade products.” Information on Fair Trade USA’s vision and values are available here. News Sweeps Honest Tea Enlists Parents and Children to Help Plant 50,000 Trees Through Arbor Day Foundation Partnership
(Tuesday - April 03, 2012)Associated Profiles : TransFair USA
- GlobeNewswire via Yahoo! Finance - Honest Tea(R), the nation's top-selling organic bottled tea company, is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant 50,000 trees across the United States.... John M. Darch of Doi Chaang Coffee Travels to Thailand With Prime Minister Stephen Harper to Help Promote Free Trade ...
(Wednesday - March 28, 2012)Associated Profiles : TransFair USA
- Marketwire via Yahoo! Finance - Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Ministers Baird and Fast went to Thailand on an official visit to commemorate the 50th anniversary of...
When making your coffee choice, just make sure that it's 'green'
(Saturday - March 24, 2012)Associated Profiles : TransFair USA
- Seattle Times - The most important coffee choice we can make is to reduce the environmental impact of Seattle's favorite legal drug. |
Join us on LinkedIN
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
Sign up for G&A Update
Sign up for AC Alerts
Sign up for SHQ Highlights