Top Story of the Week "CSR" is a term that's been around for more than four decades, notes Forbes' contributor Ryan Scott, and he cites a study by Boston College's Center for Corporate Citizenship that found that 97% of surveyed companies had budgets designed for their corporate responsibility programs. "CSR is a business approach that is here to stay," he concludes. Still, there is somewhat of a debate about the merits of CSR -- we see that in recent statements by investors that a company's obligation is to create profits (harking back to the economist Milton Friedman's views as CSR became a corporate focus at executive levels). Long-term we think the CSR issue -- anti's say it is a "frill" and diversion, and PR activity --the pros say it something much closer to the heart of the business and vital to the well-being of the enterprise over the long-term -- will be settled as the Millennial Generation settles in and moves up the management food chain. Today's young workers want to be part of a "responsible company" -- recruiters know this, especially as they recruit new grads. Colleges and universities are responding with several hundred institutions putting sustainability management course work in place to meet the demand. The Top Story is worth a read. The Key Ingredient of CSR
(Thursday - February 27, 2014)
Source: Forbes - Ever since the term “corporate social responsibility” became popularized in the 1960s, it’s been used to cover a broad swath of ethical issues, including those that affect the environment, human rights, supply-chain... Four Keys to Thinking about the Future of Sustainability
(Tuesday - February 25, 2014)
Source: Environmental Leader - It is often a good strategy to listen to the new ideas of thought leaders and successful CEOs to see if they can provide inspiration that can be used on a broader scale. In the Harvard Business Review article, Four Keys to... Sustainability in Focus Corporate Responsibility or "Greenwashing"?
(Monday - March 03, 2014)
Source: Huff Post - How can investors and consumers tell whether companies are doing the right thing by the environment or "greenwashing" their images to make it seem like they're doing the right thing? Magali Delmas, a professor of management at... Banks pushed to report sustainability data
(Friday - February 28, 2014) Associated Profiles : California State Teachers’ Retirement System
Source: Financial Times - Jack Ehnes, chief executive of Calstrs, said that while he expected some initial uncertainty about the new standards, over time companies would move towards reporting the information. There... 4 forces driving sustainability in transportation
(Friday - February 28, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - It’s not surprising that energy is paramount to the transportation sector. But social and governance issues — including safety and competitive behavior — also rise as sustainability concerns for industries including automobiles... WWF, Mondi partner for increased environmental sustainability
(Friday - February 28, 2014)
Source: EcoSeen - The World Wide Fund for Nature and international packaging and paper group Mondi have partnered for environmental sustainability in the packaging and paper sectors. UN Calls Sustainable Development a Top Priority
(Thursday - February 27, 2014)
Source: Environmental News Network - The UN High-Level Panel Global Sustainability released its report in Addis Ababa yesterday entitled Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing. The panel’s 99-page report, which... Why sustainability pros hate net present value
(Thursday - February 27, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - We need a new business language to talk to about the future. Not just because we are moving into new territory, with new business models and opportunities, but because how we talk about things affects how we think about things... A 3-step sustainability action plan for business leaders
(Wednesday - February 26, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - Company executives have moved way past questioning why sustainability is important. Instead, leaders ask how to transform their business model to generate a triple win: operational efficiencies that cut costs, reduce demand on... SASB Releases Provisional Sustainability Accounting Standards for Financials Industries, Second Set of Standards Issued for Use by Companies and Investors
(Tuesday - February 25, 2014)
Source: CSRWire - The Sustainability Accounting Standards Board™ (SASB)™, a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides sustainability accounting standards for use by publicly listed corporations in the U.S., today released provisional standards... How much do stakeholders trust corporate sustainability ratings?
(Monday - February 24, 2014)
Source: GreenBiz - Who do you trust to interpret data for your business decisions? If you're a CEO, it may be the members of your executive team; if you're a mainstream investor, you may look to Bloomberg or the Dow Jones Index to decipher the data... ESG Issues & Players Board-Shareholder Communications: Key Ingredient In Good Corporate Governance
(Saturday - March 01, 2014) Associated Profiles : California State Teachers’ Retirement System
Source: The Metropolitan Corporate Counsel - We extend open invitations to a whole range of big institutional investors, and many of them participate on a regular basis, including BlackRock, Vanguard, CalPERS, CalSTRî... Most Worst-Polluting Countries Now Have Laws to Combat Climate Change
(Friday - February 28, 2014)
Source: Scientific America - A global groundswell is rising from Beijing to Berlin, according to a new study Senate Democrats will release today that indicates nations are establishing domestic climate legislation at a rapid pace. The analysis of 66... Dream of U.S. Oil Independence Slams Against Shale Costs
(Friday - February 28, 2014)
Source: Bloomberg - The path toward U.S. energy independence, made possible by a boom in shale oil, will be much harder than it seems. Just a few of the roadblocks: Independent producers will spend $1.50 drilling this year for every dollar they get... Asset Managers, US Pension Funds, Sovereign Wealth Funds Buffett speaks: Highlights from his annual letter
(Monday - March 03, 2014)
Source: Washington Post - OMAHA, Neb. — Investors eagerly await Warren Buffett’s letter to Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shareholders each year for its plain-spoken insight into the billionaire’s financial strategy and economic predictions. Buffett had plenty... China's Economic Bubble Is Bursting
(Tuesday - February 25, 2014) Associated Profiles : State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) Investment Company (China)
Source: American Thinker - The highly credible HSBC/Market Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI ... total number of housing units offered for sale in Beijing and Shanghai combined. A study by Shanghai's Tongj University said real estate has... Connecticut, New York pension funds target Alliant for gun-control proxy proposal
(Friday - February 28, 2014) Associated Profiles : New York State Common Retirement Fund
Source: pionline - Alliant Techsystems Inc. shareholders will face a joint proxy proposal from the Connecticut Retirement Plans & Trust Funds and New York State Common Retirement Fund calling on the company to address... Watching the Watchers  CSR Middle East .Org
Established: 2007
ESG/Sustainability Focus: Yes, focus on CSR in the Middle East
OVERVIEW/MISSION
CSR Middle East describes itself "a non-profit platform that promotes corporate social responsibility in the region and network of CSR professionals based upon the sharing of CSR solutions and shaping the modern day business." The mission is "to help companies achieve profitability, sustainable growth and human progress by placing corporate social responsibility in the mainstream of business practice."
STRUCTURE
CSR Middle East describes itself as a nonprofit platform.
METHODOLOGIES / OPERATIONS
CSR Middle East is a web-based portal carrying news about corporate social responsibility – covering such topics as ethics, philanthropy, and community development -- in the Middle East.
CSR Middle East has a corporate membership program that it says fosters networking, discussion of best practices, and access to helpful services and information.
News Sweeps Bank on target
(Tuesday - February 18, 2014) Associated Profiles : CSR Middle East .Org
- gulftoday.ae –“ We don’t sell art!” said Michael Lermer, Director, Head of Communications & CSR â Middle East & North Africa, Deutsche Bank, who accompanied Hutte during the... Is Saudi Aramco Becoming a Role Model for Corporate Social Responsibility'
(Monday - January 13, 2014) Associated Profiles : CSR Middle East .Org
- rigzone.com - Jamal Al-Dabal is not your ordinary sort of guy. In fact, he's rather extraordinary. Take just one look at his job title, for instance. Jamal is in charge of "Overall Inspiration, Educational Initiatives at Saudi...
MENA Sustainability
(Saturday - December 28, 2013) Associated Profiles : CSR Middle East .Org
- linkedin.com - Private group. To request membership, click Join and your request will be reviewed by the group manager. This is an international platform for green and sustainability professionals active or interested in the... | Check It Out...
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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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