SOCIETY

Community Development

XBRL: the new answer to questionnaire fatigue?

A new system for managing financial information should make it easier for readers of sustainability reports to extract the data […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Petrobras wins report accolade

The world’s best sustainability report is produced by Petrobras of Brazil, according to an online survey of 1700 report readers […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Morrisons plays catch-up

UK supermarket chain Morrisons has started a campaign to communicate its corporate responsibility programme to customers. Morrisons, the UK’s fourth […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Co-op declares itself against anti-air freighting move

The Co-operative Group has opposed a proposal by the UK’s Soil Association to revise its standards in order to discourage […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Allegations of unfair play in production of Euro 2008 footballs

Crédit Suisse is donating a million Swiss francs ($1million, £490,000) to the United Nations children’s fund after reports that child […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Numbers are nice, but words are always our best friends

The use of statistics and numerical data is no substitute for a written explanation, says Roger Cowe A picture is […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Unilever asks for moratorium in bid to achieve sustainable palm oil

Unilever has called for a moratorium in Indonesia on rainforest destruction being carried out for the production of palm oil, […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Japanese governance needs addressing

The system of governance in most of Japan’s listed companies fails to meet shareholders’ needs, despite significant improvements in some […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

New mandate for Ruggie?

A new mandate is expected to be handed to John Ruggie, the United Nations special representative on business and human […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Female scientists awarded in Malaysia

L’Oreal Malaysia is granting fellowship awards again to three young researchers in recognition of the contributions of local women scientists […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

General Motors gives with both hands to disaster relief

The General Motors Foundation and GM China have donated more than $1million (£505,000) to support relief work in China and […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Business shouldn’t wait for a consensus on human rights

John Ruggie, the UN special rapporteur on human rights, identifies no fewer than 27 internationally recognized human rights associated with […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Goldcorp agrees to Guatemala investigation

The Canadian mining group Goldcorp is to order an independent human rights impact assessment of its Guatemala operation at the […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Employees protected from rising cost of food

Bangladeshi garment makers are to sell food at a discount to employees to cushion them against rising food prices caused […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Soup business makes CSR a key ingredient

Campbell Soup Company, the US convenience food manufacturer, is to make corporate responsibility part of its overall business strategy. The […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Fund will combat climate change

The Asian Development Bank is establishing a fund with an initial $40million (£20.2m) to slow climate change trends and make […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Higgs praised for vital role in Bitc’s early days

Business in the Community has paid tribute to Sir Derek Higgs, who has died aged 64, for the ‘pivotal’ role […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Asian banks recognized for sustainability

Six Asian financial institutions have reached the short list for this year’s FT Sustainable Banking Awards, the leading global awards […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Good employer? Then AXA will invest in your shares

A French asset manager has created the first socially responsible fund to target for investment European companies with best-in-class employment […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Corporate responsibility: a critical introduction

Michael Blowfield and Alan Murray. Paperback. 452 pages. Oxford University Press. £29.99. Aimed at the burgeoning number of undergraduate and […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

BMW and Toyota stand out

A new ranking names BMW and Toyota as the best car-makers in the efficient use of social and environmental resources […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

New members join cocoa foundation

The Confectionery Manufacturers of Australasia, whose members include Cadbury Schweppes, Ferrero, Nestlé and Wrigley, has become a member of the […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Foundation offers microfinance scholarships

Staff working on Asian microfinance projects will be able to apply for 200 scholarships being offered by the MasterCard Foundation, […]

TriplePundit

May 30, 2008

Community Development

Chinese federation promotes services

An agreement has been concluded that will promote the education and advisory services of the Chinese Federation for Corporate Social […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Australia gets CSR qualification

An agreement to expand business responsibility education has been signed by the Australian Centre for Corporate Responsibility and the graduate […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Yahoo sets up censorship fund

Yahoo, the internet provider that has been attacked for its indirect role in human rights abuses in China, has established […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

BSR publishes Asian supply chain results

A website has been set up by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to promote its HERproject, which aims to meet […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

GM greens supply chain in Australia

An Australian subsidiary of the vehicle maker GM is partnering the World Environment Center to make its supply chain more […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

BP makes pledges in Indonesia

BP has committed itself to support local education for the next ten years in an area affected by its Tangguh […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Ericsson takes China award

The Ericsson telecoms group has been given the China Green Company award. The title was awarded to Ericsson by the […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Malaysian stock exchange promotes CSR

Public limited companies have been urged by the Bursa Malaysia stock exchange to improve their CSR practices and integrate them […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Asian firms feature in FT shortlist

Six Asian entrants were chosen for the short lists in this year’s FT Sustainable Banking Awards, given by the Financial […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Automotive firm recognized for its human rights performance

The Mazda Motor Corporation has received the Human Rights Merit Award from Japan’s justice ministry and the National Federation of […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

Allianz offers micro-insurance to India

Natural disaster and accident insurance for less than ten euro cents a day (15 US cents, UK 8p) is to […]

TriplePundit

May 6, 2008

Community Development

A decade ago: when GRI was just a twinkle in the eye

Welcome to the 100th issue of Ethical Performance – and to the much changed world of socially responsible business. The […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Mutual funds under fire

Shareholder activists in the US have begun to target mutual funds over their ethical investment policies by filing resolutions for […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Inquiry will look at social impacts of alternative investment vehicles

The Tomorrow’s Company think-tank is to investigate the social and environmental ramifications of changing trends in company ownership. The inquiry […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Coffee business opts for ethical bean supply

Costa Coffee, the UK’s largest coffee shop chain, is to convert its entire coffee supply to ‘sustainably grown’ beans sourced […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Ericsson moves in to cut deaths and help economy

Mobile phone company Ericsson has begun a partnership with a rival African firm that aims to save the lives of […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Japanese firms take different tack on CSR

Japanese companies are doing relatively well on addressing employee and environmental issues but are struggling with human rights and ethical […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Chiquita in court over cash for guerrillas

Multinational fruit company Chiquita is facing lawsuits in the US over its decision in the 1990s to pay protection money […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Patagonia customers see real cost of buying a shirt

A clothing retailer is offering its customers user-friendly information online about the social and environmental impacts of its products. California-based […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Hotel operator imposes bottled water ban

Hotel chain Scandic is to phase out the sale of bottled water in its restaurants and during conferences. The Stockholm-based […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Social stock exchange could get 2009 launch

A ‘social stock exchange’ trading shares in responsible businesses could be set up next year if a feasibility study finds […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

European food firms on top

Danone, Nestlé and Unilever are the best large food companies at addressing health concerns. An analysis of ten of the […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Motorola faces boycott threat over Israel contracts

Motorola is the latest corporate target for campaigners complaining about human rights abuses in Israel. The US Campaign to End […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Death knell for UN norms as Ruggie delivers verdict

Any realistic prospect of a binding set of United Nations ‘norms’ governing the human rights responsibilities of multinationals was ended […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

‘little to choose’ between assurance firm services

The main UK providers of assurance for corporate non-financial reports offer a ‘very similar’ range of services, says the first […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Sakhalin u-turn viewed as sign of things to come

The business consortium developing Russia’s controversial Sakhalin II oil and gas project has withdrawn from efforts to secure export credits […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

High fliers given CSR role

An international bank has asked some of its high-flying executives to come up with views on the key social and […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Bank expands library work

A Nigerian bank is to set up libraries in public secondary schools in all 36 of the country’s states. Bank […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Spanish firms opt for LBG

Nine large Spanish companies are to adopt the London Benchmarking Group model when measuring the level of their community investments. […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

After a slow start, CSR has seen off all challengers

When the first issue of Ethical Performance appeared in May 1999, the dotcom bubble had not yet burst, presidents Bill […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Listening and learning is key to making progress

Stakeholder relations need to move on to another level if they are to be truly effective, says Jeremy Moon Most […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Financial and non-financial reporting are very different beasts

As delegates gather this month for the 2008 Global Reporting Initiative conference in Amsterdam, Ethical Performance offers readers a sneak […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Institutional investors offered rating service

A corporate responsibility rating service focusing on business risks has been created by Pirc. The GovernancePlus Rating Service extends the […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Multinationals in their communities

Ian W. Jones, Michael G. Pollitt and David Bek.Hardback. 359 pages. Palgrave Macmillan. £57/$80. At a time when it’s fashionable […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Beverage sector agrees action

A programme to provide beverage companies with a way of measuring and managing their carbon footprints was started last month. […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Pension fund points the way ahead on microfinance

A large Dutch pension fund has provided the clearest sign yet of the growing interest in microfinance by starting a […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

Water mandate lowers its recruitment horizons

A programme that encourages the chief executives of large companies to manage their water resources more effectively is scaling down […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

When an exclusionary approach is not an option

Insight Investment has developed an approach to SRI investing that takes account of its requirement to hold stocks right across […]

TriplePundit

May 1, 2008

Community Development

L&G UK Ethical Trust has its strong points, but they come at a cost that may be unpalatable to some

L&G Ethical Trust is an ethical tracker, and there aren’t many of those about. Ideally, such a fund would provide […]

TriplePundit

April 22, 2008

Community Development

Gavi issues Japanese bond

The finance arm of the Gavi Alliance, a non-profit organization whose donors include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Former ambassador becomes Japanese CSR head at JP Morgan

The financial services group JPMorgan has appointed Christopher J. LaFleur, the former US ambassador to Malaysia, as its head of […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Directors earn £85,000+

A head of corporate responsibility at a UK company can expect to earn more than £85,000 ($171,000) a year. The […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Businesses fail to get message across to graduates

Many companies are throwing away the chance to hire quality staff because they fail to mention their business’s ethical credentials. […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Villagers sue energy firms

A village in Alaska is suing 20 companies on the grounds that they have altered the climate, forcing residents to […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Responsible business in Micronesia gets blog

A blog section on socially responsible business in Micronesia has been added to a website run by Catalyst, a London […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Wal-Mart targets Chinese suppliers

Wal-Mart Stores, the world’s biggest retailer, has decided to meet thousands of its Chinese suppliers as part of a campaign […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Conservatives back responsibility deals

A Conservative government in the UK would amend the combined code on corporate governance to require boards to ‘seriously consider […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

ANZ is best for women – again

ANZ has been named as the employer of choice for women for the sixth consecutive year. The bank, which was […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008

Community Development

Steel giant resettles villagers

ArcelorMittal is to spend $250million (£126m) on resettling residents from more than a dozen villages in the Keonjhar district of […]

TriplePundit

March 31, 2008