Monthly Archives: October 2010

Sustainability News Roundup

The TakeAway: BP’s transparency, the power of proxy advisory firms, and uncontrolled campaign spending BP disaster: truth or “integrated spin”?  | Today’s New York Times and Wall Street Journal report that Halliburton knowingly supplied “unstable” cement to BP to seal … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Investor Governance, Proxy Voting, Public Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Worker Co-op Model Migrates from Spain to Cleveland

The TakeAway: “The Cleveland Model” borrows from the highly successful Mondragón system of worker-owned cooperatives, adding sustainability practices. On Monday we asked for your thoughts about what the sustainability movement in the US could do to address chronic unemployment and … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Colleges Graded on Green

The TakeAway: The 2011 College Sustainability Report Card shows surges in energy efficiency and more on campuses, but less progress on endowment sustainability. Today, the Sustainable Endowments Institute (SEI) released its fifth College Sustainability Report Card, which annually rates and … Continue reading

Posted in Sustainability Ratings | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Social Materiality: A New Lens for Sustainable Investing

Guest Commentary by Liz Umlas As the concept of ESG – addressing environmental, social, and governance factors in business and investment considerations – gains traction, the focus often seems more firmly on the first and last than on the middle … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

The Human Side of Sustainability

The TakeAway: Corporate sustainability thrives on authentic, ethical relationship management and communication skills, especially in digital environments. Progress happens when abstract sets of rules and laws meet real world human behavior.  Yet all too often, the former gets all the … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Stakeholder Engagement, Web 2.0 | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Sustainable Prosperity and the American Dream

The TakeAway: What can the sustainability movement in the US do to address chronic unemployment and record levels of poverty? Sustainability hinges not only on environmental stewardship and social justice (the higher-profile defining aspects of the term), but also on … Continue reading

Posted in Public Policy, Wage Gap | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Sustainability News Roundup

The TakeAway: Sustainable finance, ForeclosureGate, and new leadership for Society of Corporate Secretaries offer challenges and hope. Ceres report on water shortage | The impact of water problems on the municipal bond market may seem boring, but tell that to … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Political Activity, Proxy Voting, Public Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Companies Failing to Engage Stakeholders Online

The TakeAway: New rankings on corporate online CSR communication and engagement classify US firms as “below average” Companies are failing to take full advantage of interactive technology for stakeholder engagement and reporting sustainability performance.  That’s the primary finding of the … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability Ratings, Web 2.0 | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Say-on-Pay: A Bird’s Eye View

The TakeAway: New SEC rules on executive compensation advisory votes take steps toward broader board-shareholder engagement. On Monday afternoon, the SEC proposed rules for Say-on-Pay (shareholder advisory votes on executive compensation) and golden parachutes (big payouts to executives dismissed after … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Who Pays the True Cost of Environmental Damage?

The TakeAway: Institutional investors need to assert their ownership power to offset environmental costs and push for sustainable companies and public policy. Despite the worldwide recession, the economic crisis isn’t the only cause of financial losses affecting innocent bystanders.  There’s … Continue reading

Posted in Biosphere Economy, Climate Change, Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability, Investor Governance, Natural Disasters, Public Policy, Sustainable Investing | 2 Comments