Category Archives: Corporate Sustainability

A Valentine’s Bouquet: Twelve for 2012

The TakeAway: The blooms of sustainable prosperity and justice are fed by at least twelve currents that will get stronger throughout 2012. They involve the maturation of corporate social responsibility and corporate governance; rethinking the meaning of “fiduciary”; balancing internationalism … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Interactive Technology, Investor Governance, Natural Disasters, Proxy Voting, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Campus Curricula and the Common Good: Filling the Gap

Guest Commentary by Joe McCarty, Occasional Contributor, The Murninghan Post The TakeAway: To inaugurate MurnPost’s “Voices of Young People” section, Joe McCarty writes about the failure of undergraduate business schools to equip students with the knowledge and competence necessary for building … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Commentary, Corporate Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Song of Sorrow or Call to Arms? Four Stratagems to Improve Our Politics

The TakeAway: While extremist politics dominate Washington, financial markets continue to seize, and US credit-worthiness takes a beating, advocates of sustainability and good governance need to stop moping and get off the bench. Here are four stratagems to reverse the … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Governance, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Politics, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Sustainability Ratings Industrial Complex: Breaking the Hold

The TakeAway: The recent launch of the Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings seeks to bring some order, quality, and accountability to the diverse and booming growth industry of sustainability ratings and rankings—also a topic of the online “SustyChat3” among experts, … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Public Policy, Sustainability Ratings | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Proxy Resolutions, Shareholder Engagement, and Buggy Whips

Part One of Two Parts The TakeAway: Proxy resolutions continue to influence corporate behavior on social policy and corporate governance, but proponents need to explore additional forms of engagement, including social media and other digital means. It’s the day after … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Governance, Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Interactive Technology, Politics, Proxy Voting, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Corporate Oligarchs, Politics, and the Common Good

The TakeAway: Among other events, this week’s anniversaries of JFK’s inaugural speech and Citizens United call us to fight to elevate conscience over politics and capitalism. This week juxtaposed statesman service and corporate dominion at a time when oligarchs increasingly … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Politics, Public Policy | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Scaling Pains at AccountAbility

The TakeAway: AccountAbility Standards Board resigns en masse, while the UK standard-setter for sustainability assurance and stakeholder engagement pledges to stay true to its mission. Last week, the voluntary Standards Board (SB) at AccountAbility resigned en masse in a letter … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Tone at the Top: Rebooting Democracy’s Dialogue

The TakeAway: We must hold lawmakers accountable to high standards of statecraft, just as we hold ourselves accountable when engaging on ‘hot button’ issues such as corporate accountability, sustainability, and human rights. It was a high-minded day.  Following a Native … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Extractives: Dirty Industries, Clean Standards

The TakeAway: New SEC proposals require ethical health, safety, and human rights due diligence by companies engaged in the extractive industries. Extractive industries are by definition a dirty business, but recent legislation and regulatory moves aim to clean them up … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Public Policy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Corporate Philanthropy and CSR: Private Initiative for the Public Good

Part Two of Two The TakeAway: Attitudes toward corporate philanthropy reflect continued ambivalence about consolidated wealth and how best to foster accountability and sustainable prosperity. Public suspicion – even scorn – of excess wealth and power is a sturdy American … Continue reading

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