BSR Insight Articles About Reporting & Communications

Conflict Minerals Policy, Management, and Reporting for Supply Chain

Corporate executives are experiencing increased risk exposures from conflict minerals in an already challenging and rapidly changing international business environment. Pending regulation that requires companies using minerals originating in the Democratic Republic of Congo or adjoining countries to report on their due diligence measures regarding the source and chain of custody of those minerals is one evolving aspect of managing risks within supply chains. Read more →

Posted: July 12, 2011 | Topics: Conflict Minerals, Reporting & Communications, Supply Chain

The UN Guiding Principles: What’s Next for Business and Human Rights

Faris Natour, Director, Human Rights

Last week, the UN Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights proposed by UN Special Representative John Ruggie. The principles provide guidance for implementing the UN "Protect, Respect, Remedy" Framework, which rests on three pillars: Read more →

Posted: June 21, 2011 | Topics: Human Rights, Reporting & Communications

CSR Dominant Factor in How People Form Impressions of Companies

Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services

According to GlobeScan’s 2011 “State of Global Public Opinion on CSR” survey, corporate responsibility is a major factor in how people form impressions of companies, particularly in the developing world. In a survey of 25,000 people from 28 countries, GlobeScan asked people to identify what matters most when they form a favorable or unfavorable impression of a company. Read more →

Posted: May 3, 2011 | Topics: Reporting & Communications, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration

U.S. ‘Proxy Preview’ Report: Environmental, Social Issues on the Rise

According to As You Sow's "Proxy Preview 2011"—a compendium of the 360 U.S. shareholder resolutions up for vote in 2011—investors now file about 50 percent more resolutions on social and environmental issues than they did 10 years ago. This year’s guide, which provides an overview of the major players, recent regulatory developments, shareholder proposal trends, and new issues, includes highlights such as: Read more →

Posted: April 12, 2011 | Topics: Environment, Investor Perspective, Reporting & Communications, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration

Answering the Call for Mandatory Sustainability Reporting

Chhavi Ghuliani, Manager, Advisory Services

A little over a year ago, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued guidance requiring companies traded publicly in the United States to report on the risks and opportunities their operations face due to climate change. The guidance came after three years of persistent advocacy from a coalition of investors and nonprofits including Ceres, Environmental Defense Fund, and Pax World Management Corporation, and the announcement was hailed as a major breakthrough for investor groups looking to minimize long-term risk in their portfolios. Read more →

Posted: April 5, 2011 | Topics: Conflict Minerals, Reporting & Communications, Stakeholder Relations, Strategy & Integration