Blog Archives: February 2012
February 28, 2012
A Sustainability Compass for Ocean Issues
Laura Ediger , Associate Director, Advisory Services
Last week at the Economist World Oceans Summit in Singapore, it was widely noted that oceans don’t get much attention, perhaps in part because we humans are (now) a highly terrestrial species. But the topics were clearly relevant to the humans in attendance, who ranged from representatives of conservation NGOs, to leaders of small island states, to people from companies like Google, Tiffany & Co, Shangri-La Hotels, and Electrolux, and ocean-oriented businesses such as Maersk Line, APL, Norpac, and China Fishery Group. Read more
February 27, 2012
Guiding Social Investment in China
Brooke Avory , Manager, Partnership Development
In honor of International Corporate Philanthropy Day, which is led by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy, I want to highlight the state of corporate philanthropy in China. Read more
February 24, 2012
Learning the Right Lessons From the Apple Story
Aron Cramer , President and CEO
A decade ago, Apple made a splash with its “Think Different” advertising campaign. Today, with Apple in the headlines concerning labor conditions in its supply chain, it’s time for all of us to think different about how to improve the lives of the millions of workers making the products that drive our global economy. While it’s tempting to point to particular companies as the core of the problem, the reality—and the solutions—are much broader and much more complex. Read more
February 24, 2012
HERproject Partner Profile From Bangladesh: Awaj Foundation
Amaya Gorostiaga, Former Manager, Advisory Services
Note: This is the third blog in a three-part series highlighting the impact of HERproject in Bangladesh. The first blog explored impacts within and beyond factory walls through the stories of HERproject peer educators. The second blog shared a participating brand’s perspective on health and business impacts she has seen, and this blog profiles one of our NGO partners. Read more
February 23, 2012
Playing by the Numbers for Sustainable Consumption
Vijay Kanal, Former Director, Information and Communications Technology Practice, Advisory Services
From the popularity of Robert Parker's wine scoring system to Consumer Reports’ products rankings, consumers love numerical scores. The reason is simple: They help buyers make informed decisions. Read more
February 17, 2012
HERproject: A Perspective From Primark
By Libby Annat, Senior Ethical Trade Manager, Primark
Note: This is the second blog in a three-part series highlighting the impact of HERproject in Bangladesh. The first blog explored impacts within and beyond factory walls through the stories of HERproject peer educators. This blog shares a participating brands’ perspective on health and business impacts she has seen, and the third blog profiles one of our NGO partners. Read more
February 15, 2012
Sharpening the Terms of the Debate About the Sustainable Consumption of Fashion
Cody Sisco, Former Manager, Advisory Services
Every once in a while, something magical happens to transform a boring conference call into an inspiring debate. Last week, the Advisory Group to the NICE Consumer project (a group that represents Marks and Spencer, H&M, Vivienne Westwood, WGSN, and PPR) met virtually to officially kick off the project, and the mix of industry experience, visionary thinking, and critical questions were explosive. Read more
February 15, 2012
Sustainability Reports: Worth the Effort?
Dunstan Allison Hope , Managing Director, Advisory Services
February 14, 2012
Talking to HERproject Heroes in Bangladesh
Racheal Meiers (née Yeager) , Director, HERproject
Note: This is the first blog in a three-part series highlighting the impact of HERproject in Bangladesh. This first blog explores impacts within and beyond factory walls through the stories of HERproject peer educators. The second blog shares a participating brands’ perspective on health and business impacts she has seen, and the third blog profiles one of our NGO partners. Read more
February 10, 2012
Sustainability Frames of Reference in New Economies
Guy Morgan , Director, Advisory Services
We all know there is no “one size fits all” approach to corporate sustainability. Management of sustainability is a function of local market dynamics, socioeconomic conditions, national history, and cultural contexts, among other factors. Indeed, the frames of reference for sustainability are dramatically different around the world. Read more
February 8, 2012
How ESG Works in Private Equity
Virginia Terry, Former Director, BSR
At a recent New York event that BSR co-hosted with Morrison & Foerster and Private Equity International, speakers from BSR, KKR, The Carlyle Group, Morrison & Foerster, and Generation Investment Management discussed how to integrate ESG considerations into the private equity lifecycle. With its long-term investment horizons and its ability to work directly with portfolio companies to improve performance, private equity is ideally suited for ESG investing. Ultimately, thoughtful management of ESG issues is critical to the success of long-term private equity investment. Read more
February 8, 2012
Conflict Minerals and Global Trends in Responsible Sourcing
Sasha Radovich, Former Manager, Advisory Services
Note: This is the third blog in a three-part series highlighting the critical issues that risk getting lost in the rush to implement due diligence on conflict minerals. Our first blog discussed the local impacts of supply chain policies. The second blog focused on the importance and relevance of local labor and environmental issues outside the conflict. Read more
