Blog Archives: June 2012
June 29, 2012
Five Best Practices in Human Rights Reporting
Chloё Poynton , Manager, Advisory Services
A year ago this month, the United Nations Human Rights Council endorsed new Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Many companies are beginning to incorporate the Guiding Principles into their human rights strategy but have been left wondering how best to report on their activities. Read more
June 28, 2012
Has Progress Been Made on Due Diligence for Conflict Minerals?
Sasha Radovich, Former Manager, Advisory Services
I was recently in Paris at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), helping to facilitate the third meeting that they, with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the UN Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), hosted on the due diligence efforts that companies are implementing on conflict minerals. Read more
June 27, 2012
Under Pressure: The Chinese Media’s Role in Holding Business Accountable
Yating Shen , Associate, Advisory Services
The Chinese media is playing an increasingly important role in the disclosure and reporting ofenvironmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues in China. In order to understand this trend, the impact on Chinese listed companies, and what this means for investors, BSR researched media reporting of ESG news on 100 Chinese companies. Read more
June 26, 2012
Has Everything Changed, or Has Nothing Changed?
Melanie Janin , Managing Director, Communications
BSR has spent the past 20 years working with business to create a just and sustainable world. Watch and share our video to help us achieve our mission. Read more
June 25, 2012
When It Comes to Sustainability Reporting, Does the CEO Letter Matter?
Andrew Matthews , Associate, Advisory Services
Recently, I surveyed CEO letters from award-winning sustainability reports by Nike, Coca-Cola, Vodafone, Marks and Spencer, HP, and GE. In the past, I used to gloss over such letters when doing reporting research, but this time I hoped to understand whether these letters enhance reports. What separates a good CEO letter from a mediocre one? What does a good CEO letter achieve, if anything? Read more
June 22, 2012
The New Geographies of Sustainability: The Wholesome Power of Enlightened Business
Bharat Wakhlu, Resident Director, The Tata Group, New Delhi
Linked to a BSR initiative, this three-part series asks guest experts from emerging economies for their opinions on the role and future of business in sustainability: Enlightened companies today understand that society can grow wholesomely when they act responsibly. Read more
June 21, 2012
The New Geographies of Sustainability: Building a Well-Off Society in China
Gefei Yin, Vice President, China WTO Tribune; Director, International Research Center for Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development, Peking University, Beijing
Linked to a BSR initiative, this three-part series asks guest experts from emerging economies for their opinions on the role and future of business in sustainability: The vision of a well-off society involves pushing society onto a path to development that includes the growth of production, an affluent life, and a sound ecosystem. Companies can play a unique role in achieving the above vision. Read more
June 19, 2012
The New Geographies of Sustainability: The Role of Business in Indian Society
Vasanthi Srinivasan, Chair, Corporate Governance and Citizenship, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
Linked to a BSR initiative, this three-part series asks guest experts from emerging economies for their opinions on the role and future of business in sustainability: While in a meeting with senior government officers, I posed the question, "What has changed in the government in the last decade?" Among the many changes they mentioned, engaging with the private sector for public-private partnerships emerged as a significant area of opportunity and concern. Read more
June 18, 2012
BSR at Rio: The Perspective from Brazil on Future of Fuels
Joe Sellwood , Director, South America
As government representatives gather to discuss the future of sustainability at Rio+20, there’s no dodging the fact that world energy demand is rising rapidly and that this growth will put unprecedented pressure on our planet. Read more
June 15, 2012
BSR at Rio: The Future of Fuels
Eric Olson , Senior Vice President, Advisory Services
When is a gallon just a gallon? Almost never, it turns out—at least if one happens to be talking about the total life cycle impacts of transportation fuels. Read more
June 14, 2012
BSR at Rio: To Brazil and Back Again—A 20-Year Human Rights Journey
Alison Colwell , Associate Director, Advisory Services
I will have the opportunity to return to Brazil, my place of birth, for the Rio+20 Earth Summit almost 20 years since I was there last. As an American, Canadian, and Brazilian, I will be a part of the global community descending on Rio, also two decades since the first Earth Summit. Read more
June 13, 2012
BSR at Rio: Doing Our Part, or What to Look for in Rio
Eric Olson , Senior Vice President, Advisory Services
As the BSR team prepares for what promises to be an inspiring--as well as bewildering and possibly frustrating--week in Rio, I find myself reflecting on questions that have weighed on BSR as we (like the Rio process itself) mark our 20th anniversary: What have we in the field of corporate responsibility accomplished, where have we fallen short, and what can we learn from both? Read more
June 12, 2012
Caring for China’s ‘Left-Behind’ Children
Yating Shen , Associate, Advisory Services
According to a report by China’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the 253 million migrants who left their rural homes in China for urban jobs left behind 58 million children, 40 percent of whom were under the age of 5. Read more
June 11, 2012
Trends and Tips for Successful Foundation-NGO Partnerships in China
Min Bao , Manager, Partnership Development
This blog is the third of three in a series on Social Innovation Week in China: Foundation-nonprofit partnerships are still in their infancy in China, which means there is often a mismatch of resources. Five tips for successful partnerships. Read more
June 8, 2012
Corporate-NGO Partnerships in China: Fostering Employee Volunteer Programs
Brooke Avory , Manager, Partnership Development
The second blog in a series of three on Social Innovation Week in China: Employee volunteering is growing in popularity in China and is a straightforward way to engage staff in community programs. Five tips for companies on how to establish employee ownership and increase engagement with community programs Read more
June 7, 2012
Innovation for Sustainability in China’s Nascent Nonprofit Sector
Adam Lane , Manager, Advisory Services
The first blog in a series of three on Social Innovation Week in China: As the government retreats from providing social services and seeks new ideas to solve many intractable problems, nimble and efficient nonprofits will need to utilize the resources of companies to develop sustainable solutions and replicate them in order to make a difference in a country as large as China. Read more
June 4, 2012
Success in Rio? That’s For Us to Decide
Aron Cramer , President and CEO
The Rio+20 Summit on sustainable development is still weeks away, and yet many already have proclaimed the event a failure. That verdict is based on outdated assumptions about the nature of change. In fact, a 21st century success in Rio remains possible. Read more
June 1, 2012
Where We’ll Be in June
Julia Robinson , Communications Associate
BSR will be on the road in June, attending a number of events and hosting a few of our own. We hope to see you there. Read more
