The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Archive for September, 2010

Business Groups Sue to Block Proxy Access

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable filed a legal challenge to the recently issued Securities and Exchange Commission rules on proxy access. The groups have asked the SEC to stay adoption of rules giving certain shareholders the right to include their nominees in corporate proxy materials. The rules have been scheduled to take effect Nov. 15, 2010.

Large U.S. Company Boards Monitor Corporate Responsibility

Boards of directors of a majority of large U.S. corporations now have committees charged with oversight of environmental and social issues, but that oversight is often not integrated into the companies’ strategic planning and operations, according to a new research study. The study also found that boards at smaller companies are far less likely to have committees charged with oversight of corporate responsibility issues.

Opinion: Choosing Business Leaders with Integrity

A business executive who happens to also be a former Catholic monk has his own unique litmus test for gauging executive credibility and trust. “How can I tell if an executive is trustworthy?” he asks. “What are the signs to look for in promoting leaders in this new era of doubt and suspicion?”

NYSE Panel Says Corporate Governance System Works Well, Challenges Proxy Advisory Groups

A New York Stock Exchange commission concluded that “failures of corporate governance were not the sole reason for the financial crisis of 2008″ and that most public companies “are well governed, with hard-working and ethical boards and shareholders.” The panel also called for new standards for proxy advisory firms.

Obama Highlights Anti-Corruption Measure for Mining and Energy

A new measure designed to combat corruption in resource-rich countries by requiring mining and energy companies to disclose payments to foreign governments was highlighted this week by U.S. President Barack Obama in a speech at the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Summit in New York. The requirement is a provision of the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill signed into law by Mr. Obama in July.

Using Solar Power for All Home Energy Needs

It has been possible for years if not decades to provide all of a home’s energy needs with solar power. The technology is here and is only getting more efficient and less obtrusive every day. The only real stumbling block is cost: Solar systems capable of meeting all of an average U.S. home’s energy needs start at around $25,000.

Information Resources for Green Investing

If you’re interested in learning more about investments that help the environment, some of the best resources are available online. In addition to investing web sites and blogs, information is also available from portfolio managers, mutual funds and investment firms that pick stocks according to environmental and social responsibility standards.

Influential Voices in U.S. Board Rooms

Regulators and rulemakers led the list of 100 most influential people affecting corporate governance in America’s board rooms in 2010, according to the National Association of Corporate Directors. Sen. Christopher Dodd and Rep. Barney Frank, authors of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Law, were re-elected to the list as was Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Mary L. Schapiro.

Plastic Grocery Bags: How Long Until They Decompose?

Researchers fear that such ubiquitous bags may never fully decompose; instead they gradually just turn into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic.

Exploring “Green” Alternatives for Tires

Tires are indeed no friends to the environment. Most tires on the road today are constructed of roughly equal parts natural rubber, petroleum and “carbon black” filler, along with a dash of other chemical additives to improve functionality. The tire industry has embraced recycling in recent years, but still some 25 percent of tires wind up in landfills.