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In This Issue
Editor's Note
Aron Cramer on 2012
In our first BSR Insight of the year, we are excited to share the news of BSR’s 20-year anniversary in 2012. To celebrate this milestone, we will devote more coverage this year to our collective progress toward a sustainable economy and to the things we have yet to accomplish.
We begin with BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer’s perspective on the trends that will be most important for sustainable business in the year ahead. He also offers a preview of BSR’s plans for 2012.
Next, we have a short selection of other prognosticators’ 2012 predictions.
And finally, we hear from BSR Advisory Services Manager Sasha Radovich on what California’s new anti-human trafficking law means to global supply chain transparency.
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In Depth
2012: Sustainability Steams Ahead in Uncertain Times
By Aron Cramer, President and CEO, BSR
2012 looks to be a year of ongoing economic stagnation and political deadlock. Sustainability can be an engine of both short- and long-term economic vitality and innovation. In the year ahead, BSR’s 20th anniversary, we will focus on helping our member companies devise collaborative solutions that deliver innovation and value for business, catalyze prosperity without waste for consumers, and decouple economic progress from natural resource use.
Read more →
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Toolbox
Sustainability Predictions for 2012
By Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services, BSR
The beginning of a new year is the time to look forward at the possible trends, influencers, and opportunities that will affect business. Here is a selection of sustainability-related predictions for 2012. Share your predictions with us at bsrinsight@bsr.org.
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Guardian Sustainable Business launched a series of predictions, including globalization 2.0, the end of “hyperconsumerism,” and why investors must take action on climate change.
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TriplePundit featured 12 predictions, including continued growth in employee engagement, vibrant exchanges on climate change and environmental sustainability, growing skepticism among consumers, and the rise of the CSO.
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2011 was a big year for business and human rights, and to keep the momentum going, Business and Human Rights published its top 10 issues for 2012.
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To find out what executives from a range companies and organizations believe will drive sustainability this year, read GreenBiz’s blog.
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Forum for the Future lists what to watch out for: questioning of capitalism, emerging economies owning capitalism, peer-to-peer businesses, energy price backlash, and brands leading instead of following the consumer.
Spotlight
New California Regulation Spurs Greater Supply Chain Transparency
By
In a recent roundtable discussion that BSR and San Francisco’s Department on the Status of Women led on California’s new anti-human trafficking law—which requires retailers and manufacturers to disclose information related to labor and human trafficking in their supply chains—Verité Southeast Asia Founder and Director Maria Apostol said her organization found debt-bonded forced labor in every single one of its audits in Taiwan and Malaysia where foreign workers were present.
Apostol's statement underscored the magnitude of the problem the law intends to address. But there are two important points beyond the letter of the law:
First, compliance has a different meaning in the eyes of investors, civil society, and consumers. The law requires disclosure on whether a company is taking action on issues such as by verifying the trafficking- and slavery-related risks in its products’ supply chains and auditing its suppliers for compliance with company standards. Stakeholders will expect companies to go beyond this and disclose how they are proactively addressing and eradicating these risks.
Second, this law is part of a larger movement to increase supply chain transparency worldwide. Companies that plan for this by setting up appropriate management systems will be best positioned to meet stakeholder and legislative demands.
Listen to our webinar to learn more about this issue, or contact BSR’s Human Rights Director Faris Natour.
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