CorporateResponsibility.Net

12 Ways to Convince Your Boss to Add Social Responsibility

Fabian — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:58:59 +0000

Once you understand that a social mission is an incredible asset for your business your first question is usually “Where do I start?” Many of the pieces I write focus on what an entrepreneur or CEO should consider when building a social mission. But if you are an employee looking to implement from within, your first question might be “How do I convince my boss?”

Before tactics, I want to share a story you can cue for inspiration as you sit across from your boss and share your vision of a stronger company. A sales director named Joyce LaValle left a copy of Paul Hawken’s The Ecology of Commerce on her CEO’s desk, which led to a complete transformation of the company, as well as the industrial carpet industry. Joyce’s daughter encouraged her mom to get the book into Interface CEO Ray Anderson’s hands. After several attempts, it landed–ultimately leading to Interface’s pledge of zero waste by 2020. This was 1994 when Ray was struggling to address his organization’s environmental policies. Carpet manufacturers were criminal polluters and resource hogs. Today, Interface is well on the way toward its goal and has eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in waste, as well as increased sales by more than $1 billion. Sixteen years later, Joyce heads the marketing for InterfaceFLOR and continues to be tapped for inspiration by people like you and me.

Read the complete blog here:

http://3blmedia.com/blog/Olivia-Khalili/12-Ways-Convince-Your-Boss-Add-Social-Responsibility

Fostering a Sustainable Minded Workforce

Fabian — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 18:48:40 +0000

Walmart reportedly spent $30 million to get employees involved with the green movement. It, and other Fortune 500 companies, are seemingly always in the news with their green teams and employee programs. So it’s a bit surprising to learn in Brighter Planet’s recent nationwide survey that small businesses, not corporate giants with deep pockets and sophisticated consultants, are in fact leading the charge on employee engagement in sustainability.

A record-setting 1,055 respondents from 44 states and Washington, D.C. and from all sizes and types of organizations told us that outfits with less than 100 employees are twice as likely to promote sustainability. And that their efforts are twice as likely to be effective at changing employee behavior and producing results.

Given the prevalence of sustainability directors, carbon footprint monitoring, and official sustainability policies at bigger companies, you’d think they’d have the edge. Not so.

Read the complete article here:

http://www.fastcompany.com/1576750/fostering-a-sustainable-minded-workforce?1268246686

A good CSR best practice example: Levi’s wearing social responsibility with pride

Fabian — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:29:35 +0000

This is an interesting article about CSR best practice. The example of Levi’s is a very good one in my opinion. They have been active in this field for any many years now.

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Another story to focus on as we continue to look at the steps some of our larger companies are taking in terms of corporate social responsibility. In 2010 a progressive business knows they can benefit us all and improve their consumer standing by enacting plans that show a commitment to community and environment. Today we turn our attention to Levis Strauss & Co. who have joined with Goodwill to announce a partnership that promote environmental benefits. They have announced a new collaboration in an initiative they have labeled “Care Tag for Our Planet”.

Read the complete article here:

http://www.miratelinc.com/blog/levis-wearing-social-responsibility-with-pride/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+miratel+%28Miratel+Solutions%29

Investor statement on sustainability reporting in emerging markets – a renewed call to action

Fabian — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:53:17 +0000

The Emerging Markets Disclosure Project (EMDP), an international initiative to improve corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG or sustainability) reporting in emerging markets, and more specifically to promote greater disclosure of sustainability factors by corporations operating in Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, South Africa and South Korea, today issued a renewed call to investors to sign onto its Investor Statement on Sustainability Reporting in Emerging Markets. Signatories to the statement affirm that the next generation of leading companies will distinguish themselves through their commitment to sustainability through robust ESG reporting and will be correspondingly rewarded by the market.

New CSR Web Video Channel now online

Fabian — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 13:12:08 +0000

3blMedia and several bloggers from around the world (I am one of them) have joined forces create 3bl TV. The first web video channel to feature three different kind of information, news and commentary on CSR and Sustainability topics.

This is the link to 3bl TV: http://3blmedia.com/3bltv

Shell freezes exec salaries and includes sustainability performance after shareholder pressure

Fabian — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 17:57:09 +0000

Institutional shareholders have welcomed an announcement by Shell, the Anglo-Dutch oil giant, that it plans to limit top executives’ pay and include sustainable development as a significant part of performance bonuses. Shell said the move followed lengthy talks with shareholders, many of who revolted against the company’s pay plans at its AGM in May, 2009 when 60% voted against. Erik Breen, head of responsible investment at Robeco Investment Management, said: “This has been a good process and more companies could look at this example. We are pleased with the outcome.”

Read the complete article here:

http://www.responsible-investor.com/home/article/shell_freezes_exec_salaries_and_includes_sustainability_performance_after_s/

Nike cuts carbon footprint – But is this enough?

Fabian — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 09:47:06 +0000

Nike announced that it will again cut its carbon footprint. But will this be enough or are they just window-dressing? You decide. This is the start of the article.

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Footwear manufacturer Nike reduced the emissions of its supply chain by four per cent in 2009 compared to 2008 levels, according to the firm’s corporate social responsibility report (pdf) released yesterday.

Although the firm has been hit hard by the recession, revenue still grew by three per cent in 2009 and 14 per cent in 2008, indicating carbon cuts are not a result of decreased activity.

Nike said its total greenhouse gas footprint stood at 1.53 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2009, which is down from 1.6 million in 2008 and 7.5 million in 1997-98.

Read the complete article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/26/nike-cuts-carbon-footprint

UK: Tesco opens its first zero carbon store

Fabian — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:56:28 +0000

Supermarket group Tesco, which pumps out some four million tonnes of carbon a year, today opened its first zero carbon store as part of its bid to be a carbon neutral company by 2050.

The shop, in Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, is timber-framed rather than steel, and uses skylights and sun pipes to cut lighting costs. It also has a combined heat and power plant powered by renewable bio-fuels, exporting extra electricity back to the national grid. In addition the refrigerators – one of the biggest blackspots for food retailers trumpeting their green credentials – have doors to save energy and harmful HFC refrigerant gases have been replaced.

Read the complete article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/feb/02/tesco-carbon-neutral-green-building

Another interesting take on the Cadbury Kraft takeover

Fabian — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:04:55 +0000

An interesting post on the Cadbury takeover by Kraft:

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Over the weekend, The Guardian carried an article about Kraft’s purchase of Cadbury. The first three paragraphs were telling, and damning:

Kraft has promised to honour Cadbury’s current deal to sell Fairtrade chocolate after fears that it would stop selling ethically-sourced confectionery if its takeover goes ahead.

Jonathan Horrell, the UK corporate affairs director for the US food conglomerate, said Kraft already worked “extensively” with sustainably sourced cocoa and coffee suppliers and planned to maintain Cadbury’s contracts with the Fairtrade Foundation.

But he would not confirm whether Kraft would continue Cadbury’s ongoing talks to expand its use of Fairtrade cocoa beans into other brands – a major and continuing worry for the Fairtrade Foundation.

When I first read this article, I was furious.

Read the complete article here:

http://www.sustainabilityforum.com/blog/cadbury%E2%80%99s-melted-down-profit-nothing-else

Global firms to trial new international carbon footprinting standards

Fabian — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:23:49 +0000

A group of 60 firms, including some of the world’s largest companies, have this week begun measuring the greenhouse gas emissions from their products and supply chains using two new methodologies.

The frameworks, which could become the basis for new international standards, were developed by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHGP) Initiative, a decade-long partnership between the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

The initiative had already developed a GHGP accounting tool to enable international organisations to understand, quantify and measure the emissions and electricity consumption of their own operations.

Read the complete article here:

http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2256587/global-firms-trial