The UN Global Compact and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development will cooperate more closely for a coherent approach to corporate social responsibility
The very distinct nature of the two organizations presents considerable scope for building on complementary strengths and creating synergy – the Global Compact being an open action and learning network and the WBCSD being a membership based organization dedicated to sustainable development and engaged in such programs as Sustainable Livelihoods, Advocacy and Communications, Accountability and Reporting and the Regional Network.
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The question of which companies take a responsible attitude towards investors, employees and the environment is becoming an increasingly explosive issue. The Munich-based rating agency oekom research has been focussing on precisely this issue for almost ten years now. In its latest “Corporate Responsibility Rating”, it analysed the 19 top companies in the networks and components industry worldwide whose principal products are memory chips, semiconductors and mobile phones. 200 environmental and social criteria were examined in the study. On a scale from A+ to D-, Siemens (DE) achieved a B, followed by Ericsson (SE) and Intel (US), both of whom scored a B-. Qualcomm and EMC (both US companies) turned in the worst performances, both scoring a D. Four companies failed to provide sufficiently transparent information, with the result that it was not possible to draw up a comprehensive Corporate Responsibility Rating for them.
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A large study of Research International shows:
. Major worldwide study explores perceptions of modern brands and the issues facing globalisation
. Naomi Klein’s thesis is wrong, consumers seek to forgive brands, negative issues are largely put aside
. But consumers also reject homogenous global branding
. The study highlights the emergence of wave three branding, where consumers want to find the brand and not the other way around
. The category a brand is in, its level of aspiration, the nature of different local cultures and the fit between cultural and brand values are key to localisation
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There was widespread recognition at the global summit meeting in Johannesburg last September that corporations are indispensable to sustainable development. Put simply, there can be little enduring social or environmental progress without active contributions from the private sector. Yet for corporations to meet such expectations, they must win the trust of all their stakeholders – investors, workers, consumers, communities.
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The One World Trust’s Global Accountability Report is the first of its kind to compare the accountability of inter-governmental organisations (IGOs), transnational corporations (TNCs) and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs). Eighteen of the world’s most powerful organisations are assessed in this pilot report.
Scores are provided for their performance in two aspects of accountability: member control of governance structures and access to information. The results show wide differences within and between the three groups, clearly indicating leaders in the field and those that fall behind.
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Whether this past year in Washington or next week in Davos, “corporate responsibility” has become synonymous with combating company wrongdoing. But for the vast majority of global firms who
play by the rules, the term signifies something rather different.
What do companies mean when they say they are committed to operating responsibly? And what instruments do they find most effective in measuring and improving their impact on stakeholders and on society? A new statement from the United States Council for International Business (USCIB) provides much-needed answers.
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Following the Johannesburg Summit call on the corporate sector for increased accountability, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is launching a web-based -reporting portal” to bolster companies’ efforts to report on their sustainable development activities.
The reporting portal, accessible via www.wbcsd.org, provides visitors with an understanding of the issues companies are currently tackling in their sustainable development reports and the kind of information they are presenting.
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A new WBCSD report on sustainable development reporting answers the worldwide call on companies for greater accountability and transparency by explaining why and how reporting can help turn the recent wave of boardroom scandals into renewed boardroom trust.
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The Government’s environment watchdog has been investing tens of millions of pounds in oil companies and firms which have been sharply criticised for their records on green issues.
The Environment Agency, which is in charge of flood protection, has invested Ã??64m in oil firms which have been condemned for contributing to flooding by causing climate change. Last year the agency’s pension fund invested Ã??46m in BP Amoco – its largest holding – and Ã??18m in Shell. Both firms have been fined large sums by the agency for polluting water with petrol or oil products.
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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) released a discussion paper seeking stakeholders’ views on whether it should issue guidelines on the new socially responsible investing (SRI) disclosure requirements for products with an investment component (investment products) and, if so, what these guidelines should contain.
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UK proposals to make company directors explicitly responsible for environmental and social performance are now firmly on the agenda of corporate law reform according to supporters of the legislation.
Labour MP for Ilford North, Linda Perham, who wrote the Corporate Social Responsibility Bill 2002 , said even though it was twice defeated in parliament last year, proposals contained in the bill are firmly on the agenda of corporate law reform.
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Nearly 70 companies including the Cordiant advertising agency, City law firm Norton Rose and Sea Containers, rail and holiday company, have been targeted
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by human rights activists for their activities in Burma.
A “dirty list” of businesses whose operations are said to be helping to finance the military dictatorship in south east Asia is published today by the Burma Campaign.
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