March 2010
29 posts
Better Than it Sounds: the Ethical Sourcing Forum
Are audits on ethics and the environment worth the trouble?
By Alix Davidson
It’s true, issues of international sourcing, CSR, and audits of all forms don’t sound exciting, but I spend a lot of time at my computer and with my internal colleagues, so spending a few days at the South Street Seaport talking shop at the Ethical Sourcing Forum was a nice break!
The forum began with a reminder...
How Transparent is Your Company? Take the Poll
By Jeffrey Hollender
Last week I posted about the journey called corporate responsibility (CR), and asked everyone to share their own company’s coordinates. Impressively, half of you said it was at the core of everything you do; 17% said it’s not yet driving strategy; 22% were in pilot stages; and a small minority haven’t begun the journey.
While there may not be any set speed at which CR...
State of the Movement: #17 - All Eyes on the Shift
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
All eyes on the shift: Technology gurus are trying to fashion scalable point of purchase supply chain information systems to further educate consumers. How will bad business boys behave with all this transparency? Will U.S. companies move to other stock exchanges that reward good corporate citizenship with market value and trading volume?
A look back at the top ...
State of the Movement: #16 - Trading with Purpose
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Trading with purpose: Following an incredibly successful sold out SoCap conference, the momentum for a ‘social capital’ market seems to be getting some traction. An additional four international stock exchanges created or expanded ‘Sustainability’ Indexes - Vienna, Tokyo, Korea, Indonesia and NASDAQ with Egypt and Turkey poised to add indexes to their exchanges next...
Does Activism Work in Combating Climate Change?
Does Activism Work in Combating Climate Change?
By Ted Nace
Over the past three years, despite a massive effort by the coal lobby to sell the public on the idea of “clean coal,” grassroots activists have successfully challenged and defeated over 100 coal-fired power plants in at least 33 states. The mobilization to stop coal got underway in the Spring of 2007, after Energy...
State of the Movement: #15 - Change is Here
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Change is here: Globally, stock exchange rule changes, sustainability indexes, new corporate structures, innovative succession agreements and reporting platforms inspire and fatigue those interested in ‘generally accepted’ capital and reporting principles. We have not agreed on a set of principles, standards and measurements and the conversation continues to be as...
Social Responsibility as Restraint
Can we expect companies to exercise restraint?
By Chris MacDonald
Restraint is tough. Anyone who has ever dieted, even just to lose five pounds, knows that. Our bodies whisper, “more…more….” even as the conscious part of our brain tells us that more would be bad. The hard thing is, just one more bite of cake really isn’t going to hurt us. The calories in one bite...
The Road to Consciousness – Take the Poll
By Jeffrey Hollender
In a post here last week, I discussed the idea of punctuated equilibrium and asked you to weigh in on whether or not a rapid pace of responsible change was right for your company. Two thirds of you felt that moving quickly was the right way to go while 33% said that a more conservative speed would yield the best results.
What’s clear from information like this is that...
State of the Movement: #14 - Taking the Ball
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Taking the ball: The United Nations Global Compact had a busy year. Bloomberg began reporting on ESG activities from progress reports issued by United Nations Global Compact business participants. The United Nations Global Compact convened a global group to discuss ‘Social Stock Exchanges’. With 7700 business participants and other stakeholders from more than...
State of the Movement: #13 - Making Room for the...
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Making room for the little guys: In preparation of more disclosure requirements, consolidation in the research world resulted in RiskMetrics purchasing Innovest and Kld; ThomsonReuters acquiring ASSET4 and Bloomberg purchased New Energy Finance, the London based news and data service for renewable energy and carbon markets. And, there are rumors that Bloomberg is...
Working Less So All Can Work
Can we boost jobs by cutting the workweek?
By John de Graaf
In his inaugural address, President Obama commended those workers who accepted reductions in working hours and wages rather than see their co-workers laid off. Now he should help them out. An idea working its way through Congress provides him with an excellent opportunity.
Senator Jack Reed (D, Rhode Island) and Congresswoman Rosa...
State of the Movement: #12 - Let’s Talk About It
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Let’s talk about it: In the U.S. the SEC conducted the first in a series of hearings on ‘possible refinements to disclosure regime’ related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations. Activity heated up at the prospect of the SEC taking an aggressive approach. They’ve fashioned themselves as the global leader in ‘disclosure’ rules for companies....
The Win-Win Plan for Iceland, Britain and the...
Is energy the only real currency?
By Hazel Henderson
Dutch businessman/philanthropist Gijs Graafland’s Planck Foundation offers Iceland a well-researched Energy for Debt plan inviting private and public investors to develop Iceland’s boundless geothermal energy and send its electricity to Britain and the Netherlands via a high-voltage DC transmission line.
Dr. Graafland says,...
Punctuating the Equilibrium - Share Your Opinion
What do you think is the right approach for corporate sustainability?
By Jeffrey Hollender
The late paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould believed that evolution didn’t always proceed at a stately stable pace. While “slow and steady” is certainly the general evolutionary rule, he suggested that there are also periods of “punctuated equilibrium,” where existing...
State of the Movement: #11 - About Time
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
About time: The U.S. EPA concluded that climate changing pollution threatens public health and the environment, on the heels of the Copenhagen Conference, which ended in a whimper.
A look back at the top 25 “State of the Movement” events from 2009. Today’s post is #11 of 25
State of the Movement: #10 - Seeing the Big...
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Seeing the big picture: The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (USA) adopted policies requiring insurance companies to disclose financial risks from climate change. It seems that climate change could be costly for the insurance industry and they are looking at it from a ‘risk management’ point of view.
A look back at the top 25 “State of the...
Making the Business Case for Sustainability
Is sustainability sustainable, business-wise?
By Gil Friend
One data point in particular stands out for me in The Business of Sustainability report (produced by MIT Sloan Management Review and The Boston Consulting Group).
It’s not that 92% of the more than 1500 executives surveyed said their company was “addressing sustainability in some way.” It’s not that nearly 75% say they have not...
State of the Movement: #9 - Give and take, and...
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Give and take, and look good doing it: The entertainment and finance industries continued the balance between incredible salaries and bonuses with philanthropy, social work and environmental stewardship. How much do they really need? And, are they role models to be emulated?
A look back at the top 25 “State of the Movement” events from 2009. ...
Secrets of a More Just & Equitable World
Does greater equality benefit the rich?
By Jeffrey Hollender
“We want bigger houses and more cars, not because we need them, but because we use them to express our status. Material goods are how we show the world we’re keeping up, and in a more hierarchical society that’s more important. Status competition becomes more intense, and that increases our need to consume… We...
State of the Movement: #8 - Shaking the Cigar
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Shaking the cigar: The Clinton Global Initiative made ‘commitments’ fashionable, and the incredible number of people being helped should clear the cloud of Monica (even though Bill hasn’t won a Nobel Prize).
A look back at the top 25 “State of the Movement” events from 2009. Today’s post is #8 of 25
State of the Movement: #7 - The ‘Movement’ Claims...
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
The ‘Movement’ claims victims: Green Jobs Czar Van Jones resigned amid revelations that he was passionate and frustrated over the pace of change. Few came to his rescue. The ‘Movement’ wasn’t strong or prepared enough to save Van, a compassionate and dedicated public servant got whacked. A lot of controversy covered his actions.
A look back at the top 25...
State of the Movement: #6 - Money Versus Passion
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Money Versus Passion: A school of thought has emerged suggesting that ‘stealing’ intellectual property and business models, is ‘okay’ if it expands the ‘Movement’. And, that Venture Capital can be the ‘super fuel’ to grow ‘organic businesses’. I listened to one popular social networking site CEO tell me, “I don’t care about the ‘Movement’, I just want to make a...
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State of the Movement: #5 - Innovative Activists
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
Innovative Activists: The Yes Men catapulted Coke in the chronicles of their shenanigans during the Copenhagen Conference, dramatizing their innovative impact as the new ‘activists’ group to watch. The United States Chamber of Commerce experienced the wrath of The Yes Men; exposing the Chamber’s own challenge to business leadership while alternatives to their...
Creative Destruction on the Frontiers of Clean...
Does the Bloom Box Signal the Future of Cleantech?
By John Elkington
It’s always hyper-stimulating to be in California, even when its public finances are in disarray. I love watching venture capitalists work themselves into frenzies about the latest breakthrough, be it Dean Kamen’s Segway, Steve Jobs’ iPad or K.R. Sridhar’s ‘Bloom Box’—a low-carbon fuel cell system hailed as the most radical...
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State of the Movement: #4 - The Disingenuous Spin
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
The Disingenuous Spin: The ‘Movement’ went mainstream and there was talk that ‘greenwashing’ could be a good idea. Traditional activists lost their momentum and abdicated their role to the Public Relations industry to sort out the benefits and challenges to ‘greenwashing’. Has it turned into a classic case of companies taking 2 steps forward in revenues, and one...
9 tags
Is Goldman Sachs the Best ‘Scam’ Ever?
Is Goldman Sachs the best ‘scam’ ever?
By Joe Sibilia
Former Reagan Budget Director David Stockman, the architect of ‘trickle down economics’ (the theory that a few guys could make a ton of money and some of it would trickle down to the thirsty masses like drops of water on a hot day), called Goldman Sachs the ‘best scam in economic history’ on a PBS News hour special.
It seems Stockman took...
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State of the Movement: #3 - The Chatter
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
The Chatter: We played with communication tools that captured our attention and argued over the language we should use to describe alternatives to a damaged system. Social networking and especially Twitter made headlines. Few made money and the jury is still out on the real impact of all the chatter.
A look back at the top 25 “State of the Movement”...
State of the Movement: #2 - The Bailout
By Joe Sibilia, CEO, CSRwire
The Bailout: In the U.S., the largest automaker, insurance company and big banks were taken over by the government; governments ‘bailed out’ business, big business begot bit bonuses and the public lost jobs, confidence and trust. The alternative to ‘business as usual’ created jobs, restored confidence and hope that a new beginning was right around the corner.
...
The State of the Movement: #1 - The Backlash
This month we are highlighting Joe Sibilia’s top 25 events that effected “the movement” away from single bottom line capitalism in 2009. Every day expect to see a brief stream of consciousness of news headlines, feel good stories, look the other way anecdotes, symbols of change, back and forth banter, and tangible signals that suggest we are headed in the right direction.
#1 – The Backlash
By...
