Interview with Elizabeth Thompson Executive Coordinator for Rio+ 20 (Video)

Rio+20 clips (Video)

Rio+20 our future generations are calling YOU! (Video)

At Rio+20 Corporations Make a Natural Capital Declaration Pledge

At the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum, leading banks, investment funds and insurance firms pledged to integrate the Earth's natural capital into loans and investments. A total of 39 chief executives signed the so called "Natural Capital Declaration," which commits companies to transparency. These firms have promised full disclosure using natural capital accounting frameworks.

Clean Revolution Campaign Launched at Rio+20

In an open letter published on the eve of the G20 and Rio+20 summits, statesmen and business leaders called for a coordinated policy shift to save the world economy and the climate. Former British premier Tony Blair urged world leaders to usher in a "green industrial revolution".

Corporate Sustainability Pledges at Rio+20 UN Forum

The United Nations Global Compact Corporate Sustainability Forum saw more than 150 tangible commitments from the business community. Business leaders pledged sustainable policies and joined a call for world leaders to usher in "a green industrial revolution" to save the planet. The 1200 CEOs made voluntary commitments to greater energy efficiency, reforestation, a lower carbon footprint and other green policies. This is all part of their policy recommendations which will be presented to heads of state at the conference. According to a UN Global Compact release, these pledges are "time-bound, measurable commitments on which corporations are required to report annually."

Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum Program for June 18

9:00 AM - 10:30 AM: Accelerating Green Growth through Public-Private Partnerships

Partners	3GF, Global Compact
Description	Existing PPP’s for green growth will explore the role PPP’s can play in reducing information, policy and behavioral barriers to scaling green growth investment. Innovations and best practices will be shared as well as lessons learned..
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9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM:  Activities and Challenges to Promote Innovation for Sustainable Development

Partners	Global Compact Network Japan
Description	This session will gather executives from leading Japanese businesses to discuss innovative approaches that their companies are taking to advance sustainable practices and to contribute to addressing global sustainable development challenges. Representing Finance, Food and ICT sectors, each presenter will highlight forward-looking approaches and solutions to ensuring a positive impact of their strategies and operations. The emerging practices highlighted will initiate a conversation among the chief executives regarding the types of collaborative actions needed in Japan to build a better, more sustainable society throughout the region.
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9:00 AM  -  12:30 PM:  Business Leadership and the Role of Cooperation in Sustainable Development

Partners	Global Compact Network Brazil
Description	The annual event of the Global Compact Network Brazil will gather business leaders, public authorities and government representatives. Recognizing that sustainability leaders value cooperation - both in business management and in advancing the sustainable development agenda - making their companies more competitive and profitable, and at the same time preserving resources and enhancing human development, the event will address the key role played by business in influencing consumption patterns towards a more sustainable future.
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9:00 AM  -  12:30 PM:  CEOs and NGOs Views on Innovation for Sustainability

Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum Program for June 17

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM: A Changing World: Business as Unusual

Partners	Global Compact Network Pakistan, UN ESCAP, Global Compact Network Bangladesh, Global Compact Network Vietnam
Description	Business as usual is not enough to achieve corporate sustainability. It is clear that if corporate sustainability is to be achieved, business innovation is required. This meeting will feature two social enterprise case studies from the Asia-Pacific region which represent innovative and viable business solutions to environmental or social challenges. Speakers will discuss the components of an enabling environment for corporate sustainability, the motivations for business innovation and the challenges they face. Discussants will also explore the roles of TNCs, SMEs, government, NGOs and consumers in promoting responsible business as well as the effect globalization has had on these different actors in achieving sustainability.
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9:00 AM  -  12:30 PM:  Aligning Business Practice with the Human Right to Water and Sanitation

Partners	Global Compact
Description	Highlighting what companies can and should be doing in practice to respect the human right to water and sanitation, this session aims to introduce a framework for applying the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to water management. The session will offer a range of good practice measures that companies can be taking to respect and support the right to water.
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9:00 AM  -  12:30 PM:  Anti-Corruption Risk Assessment as Basis for a Sustainable Organisation

Partners	Global Compact
Description	Conducting a periodic, informed assessment of corruption risks is an important step to building a sustainable organisation. With the increased pressure from governments and investors on companies to prevent corruption risks, there is high demand for an integrated and holistic guidance to aid companies in conducting anti-corruption risk assessments for business. This session will introduce the Guidance on Anti-Corruption Risk Assessments, and discuss how robust risk assessment practices can be effectively integrated into company operations.
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9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM:  Business, Peace and Sustainable Development

Partners	Global Compact, PRI
Description	Peace and stability are essential prerequisites for sustainable development, calling on all actors in society to work together to create the peaceful conditions in which business can thrive and make significant contributions. This session will showcase innovative corporate practices contributing to peace and stability. Participants will discuss how such practices can be brought to scale across sectors and geographies. In addition participants will seek to identify additional actions that business should take, and recommendations for governments regarding how they can help business to advance sustainable development in high-risk areas will be articulated.
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9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM:  Children and Business: Making the Connection for Sustainability

The Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum

Global Compact Launches Web Platform to Mobilize Business for Rio+20

3rd Global Forum for Responsible Management Education at Rio+20 - PRME (Video)

Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum: Official Opening Ceremony (Video)

Rio+20 Corporate Sustainabilty Forum Program for June 16

9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM: Building a New Ecosystem for Sustainable Economy

Partners	Global Compact Network Korea
Description	As societal challenges and relationships between stakeholders become more complex, it is recognized that companies and other organizations need to build sustainable business ecosystems to create systematic and longer-term strategies. Korean companies have started to form this business ecosystem to foster innovation for social challenges and create systematic impact. This session will present and discuss collective action of Korean companies in support of the MDGs; case stories of social enterprises to create employment and realize sustainable development; a case story of CSV (Creating Shared Value) in building an inclusive business ecosystem for the health of the community; a case Story of innovative technology contributing to corporate sustainability; and the 5W (World, Weather, Water, Wisdom, Welfare) Project, which aims to address key challenges with a particular focus on weather (global warming) and water shortage through indigenous wisdom and traditional knowledge for the welfare of the people in the world.
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9:00 AM  -  12:30 PM: Corporate Respect and Support for Human Rights: A Key Foundation for Sustainability

Partners	Global Compact
Description	The Global Compact's Human Rights Principles call on business to respect and support human rights as an essential component of corporate sustainability, business' contribution to sustainable development. The corporate responsibility to respect human rights has come into greater focus in recent years, especially the UN Human Rights Council endorsed the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (June 2011). Avoiding any infringement of the human rights of others and addressing any adverse human rights impacts with which the business is involved, is the minimum required of all businesses everywhere, and an important precondition for sustainable development. To achieve sustainable development, all societal actors have a role to play, thus, in addition to respecting human rights, the Global Compact calls on businesses to take additional voluntary action to support or advance human rights. Such actions may be through core business activities, strategic social investments and philanthropy, advocacy and public policy engagement, and working in partnership and other collective action. With a mix of presentations, discussions and interactive exercises, participants in this session will share and explore concrete ways to ensure that corporate sustainability policies, processes, initiatives and commitments are grounded in human rights for maximum positive impact, especially for women, children, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups.
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9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM: Double Global Rate of Improvement in Energy Efficiency to Achieve Sustainable Energy for All

Partners	Global Compact
Description	In line with the Secretary-General s Sustainable Energy for All initiative and in cooperation with Caring for Climate, participants will discuss private sector engagement and public policy measures that would help dramatically increase energy efficiency by 2030. Presentations by companies will highlight examples of innovative technologies, products and services that increase operational efficiencies, reduce resources consumption and increase competitiveness. Discussions with participants will focus on measures that would encourage the private sector to drive investment in energy efficiency measures.
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9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM: Enterprise 2020: Multi-stakeholder Planning in Ukraine

Partners	Global Compact Network Ukraine
Description	Sustainable development in Ukraine is the concept widely discussed within civil society organizations, businesses and academia. However, there is no national sustainability strategy and even economic strategies tend to focus on short term or medium-term goals. Realizing the social and environmental challenges as well as opportunities for embracing those, the Ukrainian business community together with civil society organizations launched a unique multi-stakeholder process of defining a vision for the enterprise of the future (with a 2020 target). The process identified acute challenges to Ukraine s social and economic development, risks for business and ways in which companies can engage to turn these risks and challenges into opportunities. The project grew in scale over time and included all major stakeholders. The example of Enterprise 2020 or, in other words, of the Future we Want exercise is a demonstration of a bottom-up approach to garnering political will to cooperate on sustainable development challenges.
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 9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM: Innovation & Collaboration for Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture

Partners	Global Compact
Description	This introduction to the Agriculture and Food thematic track of the Forum will feature a discussion on how the private sector, in collaboration with other actors, can make a significant contribution to food security and sustainable agriculture. The session will feature companies in the food, agriculture and beverage sectors that implement leading-edge practices, as well as key actors that work in close collaboration with the private sector to advance food security and sustainable agriculture.
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9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM: Partnering in Innovation for Sustainable Development

Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum Program for June 15

• 9:00 AM  -  12:00 PM

  3rd PRME Global Forum: Setting the Incentives for Responsible Management Education  This session will review the external factors that facilitate change within the global business/management school system and the challenges of managing those change processes. Key drivers of these processes will be covered, including: accreditation and rankings; student demand; political/legislative change affecting curricula and funding at the national level. A plenary session will be followed by roundtable discussions focused on the question: What are the external incentives (e.g., accreditation, rankings of business schools), and how can they further support the values of sustainable development and responsible management education? Agenda

Rio+20 3rd PRME Global Forum

On the afternoon of June 14th, the 3rd PRME Global Forum opening session was followed by an session titled Business Capabilities for Achieving Sustainable Development. The 3rd Global Forum for Responsible Management Education is the official platform for management-related higher education institutions at both the Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio+20. This platform underscores the critical need for increased adoption and action to advance responsible management education and leadership.

Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability Forum: Innovation & Collaboration for the Future We Want

The Rio+20 Forum is the most important corporate sustainability event of 2012. Preliminary events began on the 14th of June and the official start is on June 15th. The Forum will run until June 18th. The event is officially subtitled "Innovation & Collaboration for the Future We Want." This event is organized by the U.N. Global Compact and is being held in cooperation with the Rio+20 Secretariat, the UN System and the Global Compact Local Network Brazil. The week-long Forum is taking place in in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and consists of dozens of highly focused workshops and thematic sessions linked to the Rio+20 agenda.

Video: Why the Keystone XL is so Hard to Kill

Like some immortal zombie, the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline keeps being resurrected from the dead. The American people have spoken out against the project and the President has postponed then canceled the project. How come the Keystone XL keeps being resurrected by the Republicans? This video contains interviews with various people during the August 2011 protests in front of the White House. One of the interviewees is 350.org founder Bill McKibben who adds his views on the powerful lobby that supports the project.

Video: Keystone XL will Raise Gas Prices

Republicans want to push through the Keystone XL and cirucumvent environmental review to reduce gas prices, but the GOP's logic is fundamentally flawed. In addition to endangering water supplies, and increasing carbon emissions the Keystone XL pipeline will also raise oil and gas prices. This is the view expressed by TransCanada pipelines, the Canadian company behind the Keystone XL. This statement was made by TransCanada in response to questions by ranking member Henry A Waxman (D-CA) at a subcommittee hearing. A Bloomberg article echoes the statement and reports that the Keystone XL will push gas prices up an addtional 10 to 20 cents per gallon in the Midwest.

Republicans Vow to Continue Push for Keystone

Republicans want to continue to push for the Keystone XL pipeline even though they failed to get the 60 votes they need in the Senate. Senate Republicans vowed that they will try again to speed up approval of the dirty tar sands project.

GOP's Keystone XL Proposal Fails in Senate

The GOP proposal to reopen the Keystone XL pipeline failed to get the 60-votes it needs to pass in the Senate, but the vote was very close. There were 56 votes in favor, with 42 in opposition. Republicans may have introduced the rider on the transportation bill but 11 Democrats supported the Republican measure.