Event - Social Venture Network: Lead the Way

Social Venture Network's (SVN) Spring Conference will take place on April 24 - 27, 2014 in San Diego, California. Connect, learn and collaborate with the top minds of socially responsible business and explore what matters most...in your work...in your life...and for our planet.

Event - CR Reporting & Communications Summit

The Ethical Corporation is hosting a summit on CR Reporting & Communications on November 27 and 28 at the Regent's Park Marriott Hotel in Central London, UK. This event offers robust debate and in-depth, honest discussions with Heads of CR and Comms, and practical sessions on what matters to you the most.

This event will address the business value of a CSR disclosure strategy with real life examples from Heads of CR & Comms who will demystify the G4 guidelines.

Event - International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility & Sustainable Development

International Conference on CSR and Sustainable Development will take place in Bangkok Thailand from June 3, 2013 to June 6, 2013. This conference aims to provide a common platform to the corporate, government agencies, NGOs, civil society, academics and the other groups to share their expectations, aspirations and responsibilities. Conference also has the objective to bring together representatives from various parts of the globe to share their experiences, challenges and opportunities. Research in the domain of CSR and Sustainable Business along with Climate Control, Work Life Balance, Philanthropy, social impact and other topics shall be shared in the form of Paper presentation, poster exhibition by researchers and professionals from various universities and institutions. international conference with aimed at exploring emerging issues in corporate responsibility and sustainable development. Presentations and debates will highlight current thinking and how these issues are being addressed around the world nowadays.

2012 in Retrospect: From Ben & Jerry's to Shell, Past Actions Will Dictate Growth of CSR in 2013

This editorial was published in CSRwire at the end of 2012. It is written by Sarah Coles, senior vice president with Ruder Finn and a regular columnist for CSRwire Talkback.

As I look back at the year, I am amazed at the progress and evolution that CSR continues to make. For one, there have been new laws and regulations to improve the way we live our lives and do business – the UN General Assembly designated 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, and the SEC’s announced final rules on conflict minerals reporting in August. In New York City, the Board of Health voted to ban the sale of large sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces at restaurants and concessions.

2012 in Retrospect: An Economic Hit Man's Tips for Creating a Glorious Future

Reflecting back over the past 12 months, a few things stood out as significant events in the CSR world. Here is an editorial published in CSRwire by John Perkins, the author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man and Hoodwinked: An Economic Hit Man Reveals Why the World Financial Markets Imploded – and What We Need to Do to Remake Them among others.

“We all knew this. We all knew that it would take more time than any of us want to dig ourselves out of this hole created by this economic crisis.” -- President Barack Obama

2012 in Retrospect: New Economy, Banking and Guns

Reflecting back over the past 12 months, a few things stood out as significant events in the CSR world. Here is Francesca Rheannon's look at the New Economy, banking and the gun trade as published in CSRwire:

Tipping Points On The Climate Front?

Cynics point out that it was only when Wall Street got walloped by Superstorm Sandy that human-caused climate change finally was acknowledged by the mainstream. Politicians like Mayor Bloomberg and Governor Cuomo made open reference to it – and Bloomberg Businessweek featured an article, “It’s Global Warming, Stupid.” (Even President Obama managed to say the “C” word – but only after he was safely elected.)

2012 in Retrospect: Are We ‘Chasing Our Own Tail’ On The Circular Economy?

Reflecting back over the past 12 months, a few things stood out as significant events in the CSR world.  Here is a CSRwire editorial by Philip Monaghan, founder & CEO of Infrangilis and a writer and strategist in the fields of economic development and environmental sustainability.
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Despite sector growth that bucks the recession trend, not only is the green economy uncompetitive when pitched against the brown economy, it is not a serious enough rival to other green issues such as street litter.

2012 in Retrospect: Pitchfork Politics, New-Age Style

Reflecting back over the past 12 months, a few things stood out as significant events in the CSR world. Here is a CSRwire editorial by Dave Wann, a community gardener and author of 10 books about social change and sustainability. 

Citizen-consumers can support climate friendly farming by helping reverse two key dietary trends of the past half-century – fossil-fueled food and relentless increases in meat consumption.

2012 in Retrospect: Better Together, Corporate Responsibility Grows Up

Reflecting back over the past 12 months, a few things stood out as significant events in the CSR world. This editorial published in CSRwire is by Andrea Learned, Senior Social Media Strategist with Pyramid Communications and author of Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy - and How To Reach Your Share of this Crucial Market.

Now that we've started to understand how social responsibility can be a competitive advantage, how do we move forward together? You don’t have to be an octogenarian, especially in the ever-evolving business world, to sit back in amazement and think “Wow, how things have changed.”

2012 in Retrospect: Top CSR Executive Stories

Reflecting back over the past 12 months, a few things stood out as significant events in the CSR world. Here are Liz Gorman's top five issues for executives from 2012 as published by CSRwire:

1. A Bite out of Apple

The year began with a major story published in the New York Times on Apple: In China, Human Costs Are Built Into an iPad. The story revealed the harsh conditions workers are subjected to in Foxconn’s Chinese factories, a supplier to Apple. These workers labor away for long hours, churning out iPads and iPhones at record speed in order to keep up with growing consumer demand for these products. Working conditions are undoubtedly better than in earlier years, but a lack of safety protections led to an explosion in the Chengdu factory last January, killing two workers and injuring others, as the crew on shift polished iPad covers.

2012 in Retrospect: CSR & Sustainability in the Press

Today's editorial is by Elaine Cohen, a contributory writer for CSRwire, author of CSR for HR: A necessary business partnership to advance responsible business practices and a prolific advisor on CSR and sustainability reports.

The first press release posted in 2012 was titled Two Senate Climate Hawks Team Up for a Must-See Colloquy posted by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Anyone see that must-see colloquy? The story was about two Democrat Senators repudiating climate change denialists and arguing for serious U.S. action on climate change.

Cleantechnica: Top 10 Wind Power Stories of 2012

Cleantechnica recently posted its list of the top wind power stories of 2012. These stories include turbine technology, the Obama administration, leading wind power countries, costs and the US PTC, . Here is the unedited list of Cleantechnica's top 10 wind power stories of 2012.

10. Floating wind turbines take several steps forward. 

In various ways, it’s clear that a lot of work is still being put into research and development of wind turbines. Floating wind turbine news was particularly noteworthy this year. Here are several notable floating wind turbine stories from 2012:

• the first testing of a floating wind turbine in the US
• the first testing of a floating wind farm in the world (in the Mediterranean)
• the first installation of a floating wind turbine in Portugal
• the first installation of a floating wind turbine in Japan
• plans for a floating wind farm off the Fukushima coats
• a new floating wind turbine partnership between the US and UK

Cleantechnica: Top 10 Solar Stories of 2012

Cleantechnica recently posted its list of the top solar stories of 2012. These stories include leading solar countries, new solar technologies, trade wars, and the reelection of Obama. Here is the unedited list of Cleantechnica's top 10 solar stories of 2012.

10. Giant US CSP power plants move along as planned, ready for completion in 2013.

While we didn’t see any big CSP power plants go online in 2012, a lot of work was going on behind the scenes, setting the stage for a boom in such utility-scale solar power plants in 2013. As noted less than a month ago:

GigaOM: Top Cleantech Stories of 2012

Here are GigaOM's top stories based on page views. GigaOM’s cleantech fans loved exclusive photos and videos of new technologies in 2012. Yeah, that’s probably not such a surprise, but the most-trafficked cleantech stories in 2012 included: the first photos and videos of Tesla’s Model X electric SUV, photos and an explainer of Apple’s ground-breaking solar farm in North Carolina, and photos and videos inside Facebook’s energy-efficient Oregon data center A number of these highly trafficked stories managed to capture the interest not just of cleanteach regulars but more mainstream readers as well. Meantime, their loyal readers also appreciated their profiles of new and under-the-radar startups, feature stories on clean energy and electric car trends, and explainers on new battery technologies.

Greenbiz: Top Sustainability Trends of 2012

As 2012 came to a close, GreenBiz asked executives from a range of companies and organizations to reflect on the past year and look at what lies ahead. They obliged by telling us about their accomplishments, frustrations, lessons learned, their thoughts about the biggest issues of 2012 and what they think will drive sustainability in 2013. A few big themes emerged: the failure to make significant progress at major global conclaves -- Rio+20 and the Doha Climate Change conference in particular -- the lack of urgency and action from policymakers on climate change, and the need for stronger, more transparent standards and ratings systems to meet increased consumer, investor, and corporate demand.