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In This Issue
Editor's Note
How Report Review Panels Can Deliver Value
After leading a business plenary session at GRI's Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency late last month, BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer took time to consider the three report review panels he has been involved with over the past year.
In this week's feature article, he shares some useful lessons for companies considering launching or redefining their own expert review panels.
We also hear from BSR Manager Marshall Chase, who recently facilitated a discussion among companies, investors, NGOs, and government representatives on "conflict minerals" in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and from Laura Ediger, who completed a report (and is leading two upcoming roundtables) on how companies can contribute to sustainable agriculture in China.
Last and certainly not least, we hope you join us at the BSR Conference 2010, “Innovate. Integrate. Inspire.” November 2 through 5 in New York. Registration opened yesterday. Stay tuned over the next few months for articles and interviews in the BSR Insight related to the Conference sessions.
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In Depth
Report Review Panels: How They Can Deliver Value
By Aron Cramer, President and CEO, BSR
BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer shares reflections from his recent work on report review panels for Nike, Shell, and SAP.
Read more →
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Spotlight
Conflict Minerals, Supply Chains, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
By Marshall Chase, Associate Director, Advisory Services, BSR
Recently, BSR and the shareholder advocacy organization As You Sow convened companies, NGOs, investors, and government entities to highlight the connections between the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the trade in minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold) from that region, and industries—ranging from electronics and energy to canned goods and cutting tools—using those minerals.
The meeting and our resulting report identified the need for coordinated action on several fronts, and outlined efforts and opportunities for company engagement in three critical areas:
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Supply chain responsibility, including monitoring and verification
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Government engagement to support international peace-building efforts and stronger, more accountable local governance
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Capacity-building efforts to encourage equitable local development and improve conditions at mines
Going forward, BSR and As You Sow will continue to explore opportunities to support existing efforts and expand awareness about the issues and opportunities for action.
For more information about this issue and the recent forum, contact BSR’s Marshall Chase or Alejandra Martin.
Toolbox
Sustainable Agricultural Supply Chains in China
By Laura Ediger, Associate Director, Advisory Services, BSR
BSR’s new report, “Seeding Positive Impacts: How Business and Civil Society Can Contribute to the Sustainability of Chinese Agriculture,” features examples of private-sector and civil-society initiatives that address the environmental impacts of agricultural supply chains in China. These projects include:
- Training farmers about the safe handling of pesticides and ecological thresholds
- Creating tools to help farmers optimize fertilizer application based on unique soil characteristics
- Educating consumers about pesticides through exhibitions and text messages
- Investing in wastewater processing that improves water quality and recycling water for irrigation and cleaning
- Using byproducts such as fruit peels for organic fertilizer
The report also recommends how companies can establish and improve sustainability initiatives that deliver positive health impacts for consumers, producers, and the natural environment.
Discussion roundtables on the report will be held in Beijing on June 9 and in Shanghai in early July. For more information, contact Laura Ediger.
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