| |
In This Issue
Editor's Note
Accounting for Nature
As both a scientist and an entrepreneur, Sylvia Earle, the subject of this week's feature article and also a speaker at the BSR Conference 2009, has an interesting take on accounting. She points out that the words "ecology" and "economics" have the same root—and both ecologists and corporate leaders need to be "bean counters" who recognize that one small change can impact the whole system.
Unfortunately, it's not always easy to assign a monetary value to nature, as BSR Research & Innovation Manager Linda Hwang points out in her spotlight on ecosystem services.
Some measurements, though, are accessible. Read about a new report from the U.S. Department of Labor that identifies goods made outside of the United States that were produced with child or forced labor.
 |
In Depth
Hero for Troubled Waters: A Q&A with Sylvia Earle
Interview with Sylvia Earle by Eva Dienel, Communications Manager, BSR
Oceanographer and author Sylvia Earle, described as a "Living Legend" by the Library of Congress and a "Hero for the Planet" by Time magazine, talks about why we need to put nature—and especially the world's water resources—on the balance sheet.
Read more →
|
Spotlight
Moving Toward an Ecosystem Approach to Natural Resources Management
By
As we prepare for the Copenhagen climate negotiations, there is a parallel discussion about the need for an "ecosystem approach" that includes ecological restoration and biological conservation to counter the loss of ecosystem services caused by climate change. Ecosystem services—the collective benefits, such as clean water, that people obtain from healthy, functioning ecosystems—represent a new development in the relationship between society and nature.
Many human-induced factors negatively impact ecosystem services, but we don't yet know how business activities will be affected by the reduced capacity of these services. As noted in a recent report, we have not yet developed a method to assign value to these services. Therefore, businesses that may rely on ecosystem services are not able to incorporate their value into existing financial, strategic, and other planning processes. As more policy-makers and companies recognize the importance of accounting for ecosystem services, tools that assess and quantify the value of these services will be crucial.
Toolbox
Report Identifies Goods Produced with Child or Forced Labor
By Faris Natour, Director, Human Rights, BSR
The U.S. Department of Labor's International Labor Affairs Bureau (ILAB) identified 122 goods from 58 countries that are produced in violation of international labor standards regarding forced and child labor.
This list includes products made outside of the United States from both formal and informal sectors, but it does not identify the firms responsible for the goods’ production. The ILAB identified these products by gathering information from government agencies, international organizations, NGOs, fieldwork, academic and independent research, site visits, local media sources, and through a public call for submissions.
Interesting findings include:
- Sixty agriculture products, 38 manufactured products, and 23 mined or quarried products made the list.
- The countries with the most products listed are India (19), Burma (14), Bangladesh (13), Brazil (13), China (12), and the Philippines (12).
- More goods were found to be made with child labor than forced labor.
|
|
|
