Category Archives: Corporate Sustainability

The Power of Two, Plus You! OpenLetter2013

The Takeaway: Two friends from Boston, increasingly alarmed by the dearth of meaningful action on climate change, decided to take matters into their own hands. The pair are crowdfunding a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal calling out the … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Sustainability, Ethics and Values, Fiduciary, Media & Entertainment, Notable People, Politics, Public Policy, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Power of Two, Plus You! OpenLetter2013

Time to Talk About the Public Interest

The TakeAway: Current global activity about “materiality” and “multiple capitals” seek to embed environmental, social, and governance considerations within corporate and investor commitments to accountability and sustainability. But they’re the latest iteration of an ancient ethic waiting to be reborn. … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Ethics and Values, Fiduciary, Politics, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability Ratings, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Time to Talk About the Public Interest

Gift Xchange: Giving, Investing, and Grantmaking for Good

Part One of Two The TakeAway: Charitable requests are a constant, but the end of the year brings a blizzard of appeals. In addition to our donor dollars, there’s a vast amount of untapped money power held by nonprofit institutions, … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Sustainability, Ethics and Values, Human Rights, Public Policy, Sustainable Investing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Gift Xchange: Giving, Investing, and Grantmaking for Good

Ready For Their Close-Up: Corporate Secretaries and “The Shape of Things to Come”

Part One of Three The TakeAway: The recent annual conference of the Society of Corporate Secretaries and Governance Professionals focused on “The Shape of Things to Come”—that is, key issues and trends affecting corporate accountability and sustainable prosperity. In so … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Political Activity, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Ethics and Values, Interactive Technology, Politics, Proxy Voting, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 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 , , , , , , , , , , | 2 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 , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 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

Corporate Philanthropy: Greenwash or Sustainable Solution?

Part One of Two The TakeAway: Corporate philanthropy, often criticized as mere PR or greenwash, has evolved strategically in ways that advance sustainable value creation. December, the “Big Ask” month for nonprofits, inundates individual and organizational inboxes alike – including … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Sustainability, Public Policy, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cancún Talks Bridge Trust Deficit

The TakeAway: COP16 climate talks accomplished more than expected, while restoring trust in the international process that can lead to stronger future measures. Despite media reports citing lowered expectations – and fear that Copenhagen’s dysfunctions would spill over to this … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Public Policy, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Window on Corporate Anti-Sweatshop Efforts

Guest Commentary by Conrad MacKerron, Senior Program Director of As You Sow Foundation The TakeAway: Gap, Levi’s and Walmart top first-of-its-kind supply chain scorecard from As You Sow, while Abercrombie & Fitch, Saks, and Sears fail to provide info. Eight … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Moving Beyond Modern Portfolio Theory

The TakeAway: Harvard’s Initiative for Responsible Investment works to build a “master narrative” for responsible investing, along with educational tools for improving trustee performance. Massive changes in financial regulations and ramped up activism – aided in part by interactive technology – make … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Investor Governance, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Moving Beyond Modern Portfolio Theory

Radical Transparency: The Challenge to Sustainability and Democracy

The TakeAway: Reams of information released by WikiLeaks and the Federal Reserve challenge us to rethink our duties to promote sustainable accountability and representative democracy. Debates on the recent WikiLeaks / Federal Reserve data dumps concentrate on the supply side … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Media & Entertainment, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Business and Human Rights: The UN’s Roadmap

The TakeAway: The United Nations’ Draft “Guiding Principles” for Business and Human Rights helps governments, business, and civil society put the “Protect, Respect, Remedy” framework into practice. “There is no single silver bullet solution to the multi-faceted challenges of business … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Role of Technology and Engagement in Integrated Reporting

Part Two of Two The TakeAway: Integrated reporting relies on new tools of technology and engagement in blending financial and sustainability disclosure – and practice. Harvard Business School Professor Bob Eccles designed last month’s consultation on integrated reporting, which gathered … Continue reading

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

Integrated Reporting: The Future of Corporate Financial and Sustainability Disclosure

Part One of Two The TakeAway: New Harvard Business School eBook provides insights from first global conference on integrated reporting Last week, Harvard Business School published its first free eBook, featuring contributions by participants at the recent global consultation on … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Stakeholder Engagement, Web 2.0 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Urgency of Water Stewardship

The TakeAway: The Carbon Disclosure Project’s new Water Disclosure program establishes water risk management as an investor concern while helping companies gauge their “water footprint”. Water is to the world what blood is to our bodies: the vetturale di natura, … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Sustainability, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Symbiotic Dance: The Intimate Link Between Companies and Stakeholders

Commentary by Murninghan Post Editor Bill Baue The TakeAway: Last week’s Business for Social Responsibility Conference focused on corporate-stakeholder collaboration for sustainability solutions. I learned about the new Chevron “We Agree” campaign, an attempt to spit-clean the company’s image after … Continue reading

Posted in Commentary, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Stakeholder Engagement | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The $3 Trillion Socially Responsible Investing Market

The TakeAway: Nearly one out of every eight dollars professionally managed in the US employs sustainability criteria, according to the Social Investment Forum SRI Trends Report. As the US economy slumped into the worst recession since the ‘30s over the … Continue reading

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

The Business Impact on Human Rights

The TakeAway: Social materiality gains traction as the role of business in advancing human rights attracts wider support. After years of neglect, companies now increasingly consider their impacts on human rights as material issues, with clear impacts on the bottom … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Three I’s of Sustainability Reporting’s Future

The TakeAway: The Global Reporting Initiative leads sustainability disclosure into a new era through Integration, Implementation, and Integrity. Around the world, thousands of organizations rely on the GRI Reporting Framework and its multi-stakeholder approach to sustainability reporting covering the range of … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Human Rights, Interactive Technology, Public Policy, Stakeholder Engagement, Sustainability Ratings, Sustainable Investing, Web 2.0 | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Sustainability News Roundup

The TakeAway: CalPERS to factor ESG issues in all its funds by mid-2011; GRI announces work on fourth generation reporting guidelines; and a BSR poll shows increased support for CSR/sustainability. Three developments this week demonstrate the rising acceptance of incorporating … Continue reading

Posted in Corporate Governance, Corporate Reporting, Corporate Sustainability, Interactive Technology, Sustainable Investing | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

People Power

The TakeAway: The outcome of Tuesday’s elections will influence public policy on sustainability and financial reform, but individuals can still make a difference. Tomorrow’s elections are expected to yield gains for the Republicans in Congress, which could affect not only … Continue reading

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

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