A new study by Harris Interactive explores attitudes toward sustainability among companies around the world. Their summary findings are: Waste reduction is considered the most important environmental issue in the USA; Brazil; Italy; Germany and China. Korea and India place more importance on developing green/environmentally friendly products. Overall, the use of renewable/cleaner energy sources is …
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CSR is growing up
The recent launch of Supercapitalism by Robert Reich which criticises CSR has stimulated debate about its role in private enterprise. You can see The Economist’s take here and an interview with the author by BusinessWeek here. It is naive, even primitive, to argue that corporations have no ethical dimension, rather it is increasingly their role …
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CSR increases profitability
According to a survey of more than 500 business executives by Grant Thornton, executives believe that corporate responsibility programs can positively impact their business and help achieve strategic goals. While commentary by traditionalists might suggest that CSR will be a cost, without benefit, only a quarter of survey respondents agreed that profits need be sacrificed, …
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Ethical guide to US business school programmes available.
Net Impact released Business as UNusual: The 2007 Net Impact Guide to Graduate Business Programs. Their second annual guide, written by students at 56 business schools, it highlights programs in CSR, sustainable management, and other socially responsible practices. Download the guide here.
Seeing how big that company’s footprint is
The September issue of Inside Innovation offers a clutch of interesting articles as usual, but this graphic caught my eye because it so clearly shows the relatively massive impact industry can have on the biosphere. There is a small proviso though: the banks with the small footprints are the organisations that fund the chemical companies …
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Know Thyself Observing the world
The data on performance in Iraq is not good
As various reports on progress in Iraq are discussed by the US administration The Economist offered a briefing on Strategy in Iraq. You may browse Waiting for the general (and a miracle) America agonises over the pitfalls of staying in Iraq – and of leaving. This table sums up the dire situation, and, yet again, …
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Enlightenment of education in France too?
Dynamic new French President Nicolas Sarkozy has added his voice to the calls for education reform. Like those of Gordon Brown and his team in the UK change is desired. Sarkozy sent a 30 page letter to teachers to catalyse change. The Economist notes his laments: not enough respect or authority in the classroom (pupils, …
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Stop working (and living) in a chemical fog
I’ve always taken issue with closed environments like office buildings, airports, hotels and conference arenas. Invariably the first noticeable thing on entering them is teh whiff of chemistry. Its either materials used, cleaning agents or just stagnant, fetid air. It slows down life and in some cases can cause more sever ailments. BusinessWeek offers a …
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The banana – a modern agricultural scandal
This report by The Ecologist is an eye opener, even for the eco-aware. It describes the banana industry today through the supply chain from plantations, with virtual slavery and toxic chemical use, through the monopolistic supply chain to the supermarket. The author points out “As the pursuit of competitive production has fuelled the race for …
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