The Magazine of Corporate Responsibility

Archive for November, 2010

BOOKS: In Search of Sustainable Excellence

“Sustainable excellence” is a term used by Aron Cramer and Zachary Karabell to describe companies that operate profitably, are committed to superior business practices, and “integrate consideration of society and the environment into their DNA.” Gael O’Brien reviews their new book.

Women in the Board Room: Change Comes Slowly

Mounting documentation on the extent of gender inequity has brought with it the attendant media attention that opens boardroom doors. As a result, writes columnist Gael O’Brien, the work of Nominating Committees has been moved into the public domain. Politicians, governments, investors, activist groups and others are saying things have to change.

How to Find Information on Green Electronics

Now that many consumers are beginning to care about their own environmental footprints, manufacturers of electronic equipment are responding with loads of greener offerings.

The Making of a Modern CEO: The New Normal

Ann Charles thinks the next generation of business leaders will require new talents and a different set of skills to successfully grow business over the next decade. A modern CEO, she writes, will focus on creating a business culture that’s expansive, mapping a social purpose to the creation of goods and services.

Opinion: U.S. Chamber of Commerce and A Failure in Governance

Many leading companies strive to follow best practices in corporate governance, demonstrating responsiveness to investors and protecting shareowner value in the process. Paradoxically – argues a leading socially responsible investment executive – some of these same companies often appear to leave their commitment to corporate governance at the doorstep when they serve on the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Why No National Recycling Law in the U.S.?

The U.S. government has historically relied on state and local governments to handle waste management in all of its forms, including recycling. Although there have been a few attempts to push legislation through Congress to mandate minimum national recycling rates, none have made it out of committee hearings.

The Ethics of Social Media – Part II: Playing by New Rules

You say your company hasn’t had an OMG moment over Facebook ethics? Well, it could be just a matter of time. In the second part of a two-part series, James Hyatt examines how the social media explosion – from email and Facebook to blogs and Twitter – is making a hash of once-resolved issues and creating all kinds of new dilemmas.

Global Dimming vs. Global Warming

Global dimming is a less well-known but real phenomenon resulting from atmospheric pollution. The burning of fossil fuels by industry and internal combustion engines, in addition to releasing the carbon dioxide that collects and traps the sun’s heat within our atmosphere, causes the emission of so-called particulate pollution—composed primarily of sulphur dioxide, soot and ash.

Arguing for Meatless Mondays

Meatless Monday—the modern version of it, at least—was born in 2003 with the goal of reducing meat consumption by 15 percent in the U.S. and beyond. The rationale? Livestock production accounts for one-fifth of all man-made greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and is also a major factor in global forest and habitat loss, freshwater depletion, pollution and human health problems.

VIDEO: Avon’s Andrea Jung at 2010 BSR Conference in NYC

Andrea Jung, Chairman and CEO of Avon Products Inc., discusses the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility during a keynote session at the 2010 BSR conference in New York City in November, 2010.