Tag Archives: Ceres

Trustees Are Not Thermometers

Fifth in a  Series: Time to Talk About the Public Interest The TakeAway: In the United States, key to our political form of representative self-governance is the idea of good trusteeship, of stewardship, of wise statecraft. The same holds for corporate … Continue reading

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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

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Justice for All: Climate Change and the Energy Economy

The TakeAway: It’s time for us to reach across social and cultural divides to kickstart our economy and advance the cause of justice. One way of doing that is to address fear and mistrust head-on, and then work together to … Continue reading

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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

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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

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Passing It On: Joan Bavaria’s Legacy

Over at Ceres, nominations are still open – through next Tuesday, March 8th – for the Joan Bavaria Awards, so it’s a good time to reflect on this extraordinary woman who gave so much to what is now a large … Continue reading

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Bob Massie for U.S. Senate

The TakeAway: Our friend and colleague Bob Massie announced his candidacy today to represent Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate—an extension of his lifetime commitment to service. Bob Massie, co-founder of The Murninghan Post and publisher emeritus, today announced his candidacy … Continue reading

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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

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Welcome to the USA, GRI!

The TakeAway: The Global Reporting Initiative, with the support of the global Big Four audit firms, launches “Focal Point USA”. Good news for sustainability in the US!  Today, the Amsterdam-based Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) announced that it’s opening an office … Continue reading

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Wanted: US Leadership in Sustainability Reporting

The TakeAway: The US played a pioneering role in sustainability reporting, but we currently fall short in advancing it. The US has “the largest and most technologically powerful economy in the world,” according to the CIA World Factbook, and traditionally … Continue reading

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It’s Raining Ratings!

The TakeAway: In response to the boom in corporate sustainability ratings, SustainAbility releases the second report in its four-phase “Rate the Raters” project. Last month, when JustMeans and CRD Analytics released their Global 1000 Sustainable  Performance Leaders list (the latest … Continue reading

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Fighting the Fury: Climate Change, Natural Disasters, and the Business Response

The TakeAway: Companies and investors need to deal with natural disaster mitigation, resilience, and rebuilding efforts. Five years ago this Sunday, Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast, where the wounds remain raw.  Two years ago, Cyclone Nargis in Burma … Continue reading

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Water: A Human Right

The TakeAway: Intel Affirmed Water as a Human Right Before the UN; Will Other Companies Follow Suit? Water is the driving force of all nature, said Leonardo da Vinci.  Apparently, the United Nations agrees.  On Wednesday, in a nonbinding measure … Continue reading

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Sustainability: When Will the Exception Become the Rule?

Commentary by Bob Massie The TakeAway: Silo Thinking by Corporations, Activists, Investors, and Others Slows Progress of Sustainability Those who have been working to advance the concept and practice of sustainability in the United States over the last decade can … Continue reading

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Environmental & Social Policy Resolutions Receive Record Levels of Support

Part Two of Three Parts For more than forty years, shareholder activists and large investors have expressed their concerns to corporate boards through the proxy resolution process.  For them, this past season was the best ever. Proxy resolutions are proposed … Continue reading

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Voting Matters: Record-Breaking Proxy Season

Part One of Three Parts It’s been a banner year for U.S. capital market reform:  on Wednesday President Obama is expected to sign the Dodd-Frank Act, while the SEC is receiving comments on its Concept Release for improving the process … Continue reading

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