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INTERVIEW:
Sunshine is the Best Disinfectant: Shareholder Activists Promote Corporate Transparency
SocialFunds writer Bill Baue speaks with Sanford Lewis of the Investor Environmental Health Network on his shareholder activism promoting corporate disclosure
NEWS BRIEF:
SCREENING; INDEXES
Report Names Most Controversial Companies
The top ten environmental and socially controversial companies for the first six months of 2008 called out.
NEWS STORY:
GREEN SECTORS
The Very Rich Green Their Portfolios
With European and Middle Eastern investors leading the way, high-net-worth investors are putting their money into green technologies and alternative energy sources.
NEWS STORY:
SCREENING; SUSTAINABILITY
Green Fast Food: Really Here or a Green Dream?
The fast food industry is seeing a growing demand for environmental sustainability. How can investors, consumers, and other stakeholders know which restaurants are truly embracing sustainable development and which are only greenwashing their practices?
NEWS BRIEF:
INDEXES; CLEAN TECH
Cleantech Index Goes Global
Cleantech rebalances its Index to include worldwide clean tech companies.
NEWS STORY:
RENEWABLE ENERGY:INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Renewable Energy Wows World Investors
The United Nations Environmental Program reports a new record in sustainable energy investments in 2007 with more than $148 billion invested globally.
NEWS BRIEF:
RESPONSIBLE INVESTING
UN PRI Stresses Disclosure
Principles for Responsible Investment considers expelling firms who don’t follow disclosure requests.
NEWS STORY:
INSITUTIONAL INVESTOR MANAGEMENT STRAGETIES
Mainstream Fund Managers Vary Widely on Social Responsibility
Even as more fund managers accept the impact of environmental, social, and corporate governance issues on performance, the application of responsible investment practices is hit or miss with most mainstream firms.
INTERVIEW:
Bob Monks: ExxonMobil Exemplifies Corpocracy
SocialFunds writers Bill Baue and Francesca Rheannon interview corporate governance advocate Bob Monks about his shareholder activism at ExxonMobil and his new book, Corpocracy.
INTERVIEW:
Shelley Alpern on How Tar Sands Perpetuate Petro-Addiction
SocialFunds writer Bill Baue speaks with Shelley Alpern of Trillium Asset Management about its shareholder activism on oil company exploitation of tar sands.
NEWS STORY:
GREEN COMPANIES
The Sunny Side of the Street: Investing in Solar
More investors are seeing the benefits of buying solar stocks, whether to diversify portfolios or to champion an energy movement.
NEWS STORY:
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Principled Companies Praised
Ethisphere Magazine publishes its second annual list of the World's Most Ethical Companies.
NEWS BRIEF:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Community Reinvestment Fund’s Largest Security Offering Ever
Investors fully subscribe CRF’s latest series of community development notes.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM: HUMAN RIGHTS
Investors Support UN Business and Human Rights Mandate
Coalition of socially responsible investors sends a letter to the United Nations Human Rights Council supporting businesses' responsibility for human rights.
NEWS STORY:
SUSTAINABILITY
Envisioning the Sustainable Supply Chain
Innovative collaborations between suppliers, retailers and consumers need to be forged so future supply chains support businesses and the environment.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Executive Pay Weighs Heavy with Shareholders
With more than 90 "say on pay" resolutions this year, shareholders continue to push for advisory votes on executive compensation.
NEWS BRIEF:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT: MICROFINANCE
Spare Change Adds Up for Microfinance
A new campaign by MicroPlace helps raise awareness of the power of microfinance to lift people out of poverty.
INTERVIEW:
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Michael Conroy on Activist Campaigns and the Certification Revolution
SocialFunds writer Bill Baue speaks with Michael Conroy about his new book, Branded! How the “Certification Revolution” is Transforming Global Companies
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE:CORPORATE RESPONSIBLITY
Large UK Companies Put Their Best Foot Forward
New study of the FTSE 100 finds most companies, but not all, are improving their performance on environmental, social and governance issues.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM: EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
Executive Compensation Consultants: The Next Battlefield for Say on Pay
Investors ask the SEC to mandate disclosure of a company's use of executive compensation consultants and if the consultants are used in other areas of the business as well.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Will 2008 Be the Year Congress Acts on Climate Change?
Institutional investors send a message to Congress that action on climate change policy is a business imperative.
NEWS STORY:
LABOR;SUPPLY CHAINS
Disney and McDonald's Take Steps to Protect Global Labor
In partnership with prominent stakeholders, the two companies strive to improve working conditions in factories overseas while new data shows an uptick in companies monitoring suppliers' labor practices.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Proxy Voting Made Painless
A new website helps individual investors better understand proxy voting.
NEWS STORY:
SUPPLY CHAIN,CLIMATE CHANGE
Tracking Suppliers' Carbon Footprints
The Carbon Disclosure Project reports on the carbon emissions of some of the world's largest corporations' supply chains.
NEWS STORY:
The Toxic 100: New Report on Polluting Companies Hopes to Empower Communities and Shareholders
Index of top corporate air polluters updated in new report from researchers at University of Massachusetts.
INTERVIEW:
Abolishing Child Labor on West African Cocoa Farms
Mil Niepold of Verité on the International Cocoa Verification Board and Bama Athreya of the International Labor Rights Forum on the Commitment to Ethical Cocoa Sourcing.
NEWS STORY:
SOLAR ENERGY,PERSONAL FINANCE
Sunny Days for New Solar Index and ETF
Claymore Securities launches new ETF based on Melvin & Company's Global Solar Energy Index.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE, SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Climate Change Resolutions Picking Up Heat
A new report from Ceres shows mutual funds are starting to move away from voting against climate change resolutions, to not voting on them at all.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM,CLIMATE CHANGE
Ford Establishes Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
Shareholders withdraw resolutions at Ford after the carmaker agrees to release its plans on how it will decrease greenhouse gas emissions.
NEWS STORY:
SUPPLY CHAIN, CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Transparent Supply Chain Sends A Clear Message
Hewlett-Packard recently released a list of its largest suppliers in hopes of increasing accountability from factory floors to consumers' front doors.
NEWS STORY:
MUTUAL FUNDS, GREEN INVESTING
New Fund Invests in Tomorrow's Green Stars
ThinkCapital launches a green growth fund that focuses on sustainable companies.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Do Your Proxy Votes Really Count?
A new report examines how boards of directors respond to shareholder concerns by adopting or ignoring non-binding shareholder proposals.
NEWS STORY:
PERSONAL FINANCE, MUTUAL FUNDS
Three New SRI Funds from Pax World
Sustainable investing pioneer Pax World adds Global Green, International, and Small Cap Funds to its SRI family of funds.
INTERVIEW:
SCREENING STRATEGIES
Are Alcohol Screens Outdated?
Social investors have used exclusionary alcohol screens for decades. Is it time to reconsider this strategy?
INTERVIEW:
SHAREOWNER ADVOCACY
ICCR Defines the Past, Present, and Future of Shareowner Activism
Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility Executive Director Laura Berry speaks with SocialFunds.com about transformative changes in shareowner activism.
NEWS STORY:
ENERGY,SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
New Coal Plants: At What Cost?
Uncertainties abound around the 100-plus proposed US coal-burning power plants contends a report from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.
NEWS STORY:
CLEAN ENERGY, CLEAN TECH
New Energy Technologies Entice Investors
A report from Clean Edge looks at developments in the clean energy markets and forecasts clean energy sectors will continue their rapid rate of expansion.
NEWS STORY:
SCREENING
B Corporations: Verified Sustainability
B Labs takes the guesswork out of which companies are actually working for the future.
NEWS STORY:
PERSONAL FINANCE,SCREENING
EarthFolio Screens the Big SRI Picture
New investment site offers fully managed SRI portfolios for every type of investor, from timid to tenacious.
NEWS STORY:
SCREENING,SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM,COMMUNITY INVESTING
SRI Assets Surge Ahead
New socially responsible investing study reports one dollar out of every nine dollars under professional management is invested responsibly.
INTERVIEW:
SHAREHOLDER ADVOCACY: HUMAN RIGHTS
Shareholder Activists Try New Tactic in Divestment Campaign
Activists are bringing resolutions to shareholder meetings of mutual funds in a bid to widen pressure on companies doing business with the Sudanese government.
NEWS STORY:
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Measuring Companies with a Ruler of Responsibility
With 21 return businesses from the 2007 list, CRO's 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2008 ranks large-cap companies' corporate responsibility.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE
Fighting Climate Change, State by State
A core group of state treasurers and controllers are moving their investments into environmentally friendly and clean tech funds, while thinking big about climate change.
NEWS STORY:
MICROFINANCE
MicroPlace: Microfinance for the Masses
US investors with as little as $100 can help fight global poverty at eBay owned MicroPlace.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE; SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Institutional Investors Plan Long-term for Climate Change
Summit at the UN unveils an action plan for addressing climate change risks and opportunities.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE: FOUNDATIONS
Foundations Move Toward Mission Related Investing, One Foundation at a Time
Climate change issues may push foundations to examine their portfolios and proxy voting policies.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE: BANKING SECTOR
Three Major Banks Sign The Carbon Principles
With the help of environmental groups and power companies, Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley outline carbon risk management for banks.
NEWS STORY:
RESPONSIBLE PROPERTY INVESTING
Making a Real Difference with Real Estate
The Responsible Property Investment movement gathers momentum with the help of the Responsible Property Investment Center and the backing of UNEP FI.
NEWS STORY:
SUSTAINABILITY
Yearbook Presents Sustainability Trends and Leaders
SAM and PricewaterhouseCoopers offer insights into the sustainability efforts of cutting-edge companies.
INTERVIEW:
ENVIRONMENT: BUSINESS TRENDS
Joel Makower on the GreenBiz.com State of Green Business 2008 Report
GreenBiz founder talks about the inaugural report, which surveys the top 10 green business stories of 2007 and introduces the GreenBiz Index.
NEWS STORY:
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: PERSONAL FINANCE
Growing Interest In Green Investing
New research shows that individual investors think the environment is hot, with solar energy an important investment opportunity.
NEWS STORY:
CORPORATE CITIZENSHIP
New Survey Uncovers Discrepancies on Corporate Citizenship Issues
There is gap between what executives say on corporate citizenship and what their corporations actually do, finds a survey of over 750 executives.
NEWS STORY:
INDEXES
New Index Contains Companies that Support Stewardship
Index leader launches first index series based on the Dharmic religions.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Supreme Court Rules on Naming Secondary Actors in Fraud Cases
In a ruling last week, the Supreme Court laid out what businesses can be held liable under current securities fraud laws.
NEWS STORY:
PERSONAL FINANCE; MUTUAL FUNDS
Social Investment Options on the Rise
A flurry of new socially responsible mutual funds and products makes it easier then ever to invest in a double bottom line.
NEWS STORY:
CLIMATE CHANGE: BANKING
Are Banks Getting Caught With Their Umbrellas Down?
A new report from the RiskMetrics Group ranks 40 of the world's largest banks responses to climate change risks and possibilities.
NEWS STORY:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT: MICROFINANCE
Microfinance: Catch the Swelling SRI Wave
The microfinance sector offers socially responsible investors a growing arena to create positive social and financial growth according to a new Deutche Bank study.
NEWS STORY:
PERSONAL FINANCE
Top Five Socially Responsible Investing News Stories of 2007
New alternative energy and green funds fuel expansion of socially responsible investing; climate change is pushed to the forefront; community development organizations flourish despite the subprime mortgage debacle; consumers demand healthy products and work environments; and SEC limits shareholder rights.
BOOK REVIEW:
PRODUCT RESPONSIBILITY
Exposed: The Toxic Chemistry of Everyday Products
The United States is no longer setting the agenda for manufacturers’ standards and American consumers are paying the price with their health.
NEWS STORY:
PERSONAL FINANCE
Whistling Past the Graveyard—Socially Responsible Investing and the Financial Crisis
SRI thought leaders analyze the potential impacts of the widespread economic downturn caused by the subprime meltdown and deflating dollar.
NEWS STORY:
WORKPLACE
Screening for Satisfaction
The 2007 Moskowitz Prize for Socially Responsible Investing was awarded to a study that shows higher employee satisfaction has historically correlated to higher stock prices.
NEWS STORY:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Buying and Selling Loans for the Good of Communities
The Community Reinvestment Fund USA offers investors a way to help keep capital flowing into community development organizations.
NEWS STORY:
FINANCIAL PRODUCTS
Socially Responsible Investing Branches Out Over Asset Classes
A handbook published by Boston College's Institute for Responsible Investment outlines how managers can diversify socially responsible investments.
NEWS STORY:
COMMUNITY INVESTMENT
Giving to the Givers: Honoring Community Development Organizations
The Wachovia NEXT Awards for Opportunity Finance names ACCION Texas and the Latino Community Credit Union for its 2007 $8.25 million prize.
NEWS STORY:
ENVIRONMENT: CLIMATE CHANGE
Burning Bunker Fuel: The Shipping Industry's Dirty, Not-So-Secret Shame
Friends of the Earth is extremely concerned about the greenhouse gases and other pollutants ships spew into the atmosphere. The UN agency working on the issue stands behind the shipping industry's efforts to comply with international protocols.
NEWS STORY:
SHAREOWNER ADVOCACY
SEC Sacrifices Shareholder Rights to Achieve Temporary Certainty
Instead of reaffirming shareholder rights to file resolutions to nominate directors, the SEC cites uncertainty as a rationale for stripping these rights.
NEWS STORY:
Giving the Gift of Gore? Video Game Buyers Beware
ICCR works to educate video game buyers on video games ratings and works with retailers to keep mature and violent video games out of children's hands.
NEWS STORY:
Equalizing the Economic Playing and Farming Fields
Equity Trust invests in farms, non-profits and communities, helping people take charge of their economic futures.
NEWS STORY:
Jolly Green Giant: Google Gives the Green Light to Alternative Energy
Google promises millions of dollars to create inexpensive renewable energy.
NEWS STORY:
Sustainability Issues All Over the Map at Large Cap Companies
An extensive study from RiskMetrics shows sustainability governance among companies varies widely from country to country, and from sector to sector.
NEWS STORY:
Environmental, Social and Governance Standards: Glass Half-Empty or Half-Full?
The spread of voluntary and mandatory ESG disclosure and performance standards for business raises the question, how robust is implementation and enforcement?
NEWS STORY:
Taking the Pulse of the Electric and Natural Gas Utilities Sector
KLD's newest report provides investors with insight on how US and European utilities are dealing with environmental and societal concerns.
NEWS STORY:
Consumers Demand Companies Walk Their Green Talk
The growing number of consumers who identify themselves as "conscious" creates more opportunities for sustainable companies.
NEWS STORY:
Wal-Mart's First Sustainability Report: Just a Gesture or a Just Account?
Many call the biggest retailer's sustainability report a good first step on a long road.
NEWS STORY:
Launch of Five Climate Change Funds May Enrich Investors, But Won't Save the World
Deutsche Bank, F&C, HSBC, Schroders, and Virgin Money launch climate funds, a trend that validates the role of finance in addressing--though not solving--global warming.
NEWS STORY:
Making Toys is Not Child's Play
A group of shareholders have come together to demand safer working conditions for workers along the toy supply chain.
NEWS STORY:
Environment
Growing Up Green: Winslow Offers New Mid-Cap Green Mutual Fund
As the green market place expands, Winslow launches a mutual fund to capitalize on middle-sized growth companies that offer green solutions.
NEWS STORY:
CEOs Add ESG Issues to Business Blueprints
A report from McKinsey & Company finds that more CEOs are including environmental, social, and governance issues in core strategies.
NEWS STORY:
Good Mortgages Still Going to Good People
Community development financial institutions and their customers across the country are disproving the idea that low-income people are mortgage risks.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review: The Clean Tech Revolution
A new book on investing in green technology looks at new and expected developments that hold out promise for big returns over the coming decades.
NEWS STORY:
Green Financial Products Take Root in North America
A new report commissioned by UNEP FI lists green financial services and products as it makes the case for green banking's environmental, social, and economic benefits.
NEWS STORY:
Are Colleges Only Green Skin Deep?
The Sustainability Report Card 2008 examines colleges and universities dedication to sustainability, on campuses and in endowment portfolios.
NEWS STORY:
Connecting the Dots Between Climate Change, Companies, and Financial Performance
Laying the groundwork for new investment products, Innovest releases the first study relating how companies manage climate change risk to their financial performance.
NEWS STORY:
Corporate Operations in Burma Fuel Human Rights Abuses, Say Shareowner Activists
Shareowner letters to Chevron and Total criticize the piping of revenues to the Burmese regime, while the Norwegian Pension Fund defends its decision not to divest from Total.
NEWS STORY:
Engaged Employees Equal Increased Earnings
A recent study by Towers Perrin shows employee engagement and financial performance are intertwined and outlines how companies can help employees become engaged.
NEWS STORY:
Risking the Weather: The Insurance Sector Faces Climate Change
A new report sponsored by Ceres and written by Evan Mills, one of the recipients of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore, highlights new products offered by the insurance sector in response to the changing climate.
NEWS STORY:
Green Angels: Venture and Private Equity Capitalists Help Sprout a New Generation of Environmentally Friendly Companies
Private investors and high-net worth individuals are making a difference--in hopes of making a profit--by actively recruiting start-up and middle-sized companies dedicated to the environment and society.
NEWS STORY:
Emissions Trading Commodifies Carbon, But Does It Really Help Solve Climate Change?
Proponents of carbon trading see markets as the best mechanism for reducing emissions, while critics characterize carbon trading as a devil's bargain that steers profits to polluters.
NEWS STORY:
"Living" Companies Perform Better
Corporations that care about people more than things are more sustainable and profitable, puts forth author and financial counselor Jay Bragdon.
NEWS STORY:
Working for the Earth: Green Companies and Green Jobs Attract Employees
New research shows that employees want to work at green companies and are happiest at companies with solid corporate social responsibility programs in place.
NEWS STORY:
Investors, States, and Activists Petition Securities and Exchange Commission To Mandate Climate Risk Disclosure
Twenty-two petitioners representing investment managers, state officials and environmental groups recently filed a petition with the Securities and Exchange Commission to improve reporting by companies on the financial impact of climate change.
NEWS STORY:
New Pax World Value Fund Follows "Contrarian Value" Strategy
Pax World's new Fund travels the globe looking for sustainable, yet undervalued companies.
NEWS STORY:
KLD's New Index Finds Sustainable Companies the World Over
KLD launches a Global Sustainability Index Series to benchmark top companies in all sectors across Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
NEWS STORY:
Ardour Global Index Offers Unique Alternative Energy Universe
Ardour Global Index adds new companies in quarterly rebalancing, including US manufacturer Beacon Power.
NEWS STORY:
Contracting Human Rights? Ruggie Teams with IFC on Study
Empirical research conducted by John Ruggie and the International Finance Corporation examines if foreign investment contract clauses enable human rights violations.
NEWS STORY:
Companies, Carbon and Climate Change: The Carbon Disclosure Project Issues its 5th Global Corporate Climate Change Report
More companies are moving from simple carbon awareness to carbon action, but further work still needs to be done.
NEWS STORY:
Big Bosses Embrace Corporate Responsibility
A new survey of executives finds many companies are increasing their spending on environmental, social, and governance issues, in spite of a decline in business confidence.
NEWS STORY:
Canada is Coming Clean: First Canadian Global Clean Energy Fund Launched
Criterion Investments has announced its Global Energy Fund, reflecting a growing enthusiasm for clean energy by investors, companies and governments.
NEWS STORY:
Where in the World is Corporate Responsibility?
EIRIS' new report "The State of Responsible Business" details growing corporate responsibility in businesses worldwide.
NEWS STORY:
Excessive CEO Compensation Hurting US Companies and Society
A new report claims that excessive executive compensation in the US is taking a staggering economic and social toll on American society, threatening leadership in the business, government, and nonprofit sectors and creating instability in the economy.
NEWS STORY:
Businesses and Water Shortages: A Drought of Risk Management
The Marsh Center for Risk Insights' new survey reports that although most businesses are aware of the risks of water shortages, most businesses don't have a risk management plan in place.
NEWS STORY:
The Subprime Meltdown and SRI: Engage, Avoid, Predict
Shareowner activists engaged banks on predatory lending long before the subprime crisis climaxed, and SRI research predicted the meltdown in time to avoid some impacts.
NEWS STORY:
17th and Jackson: Community Development in Action, Turning a Vacant Lot into Affordable Housing and More
Non-traditional financing, including an investment by Enterprise Community Investment, funds a green multi-use building in Seattle's Central Area Neighborhood.
NEWS STORY:
Shareholder Activists Turn Up Heat on the SEC
The Social Investment Forum and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility launch a website as part of a campaign to garner support against SEC's proposals limiting shareholder rights.
NEWS STORY:
Leave Only Footprints: Measuring and Managing Corporate Carbon Emissions
Corporate carbon footprinting is on the rise, but so too is the number of footprint methodologies, challenging companies and investors to discern the best options. Part two of a two-part article.
NEWS STORY:
Green Outsourcing: Companies Demanding More Environmentally Sound Suppliers
Brown-Wilson Group's newest "Black Book of Outsourcing" reports that businesses are including more environmental factors when choosing suppliers.
NEWS STORY:
JPMorgan Chase Committed to Helping Low- and Moderate-income Communities
Reporting in its third year, Chase is on target to invest $800 billion over ten years to benefit low- and middle-income people and neighborhoods.
NEWS STORY:
Fiddling While The Planet Burns: Mainstream Investment Funds Blinkered To Climate Risk
Part one of a two-part article looks at the lack of climate risk calculations by UK fund managers. Part two will examine some new tools for assessing climate risks to investments.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review-World Inc: How the Growing Power of Business is Revolutionizing Profits, People and the Future of Both
Author Bruce Piasecki argues that better products will help make a better world as companies face the "S" frontier.
NEWS STORY:
To Avoid Risk of Alien Tort Claims Act Cases, Companies Must Improve Human Rights
The first-ever corporate ATCA verdict of not guilty does not diminish the ongoing liabilities companies face in US courts for human rights violations committed overseas.
NEWS STORY:
A Win for Generic Drugs: Indian Court Rules Against Drug Maker Novartis
In a test case for drug patents in developing nations, Novartis loses an attempt to challenge an Indian patent provision.
NEWS STORY:
Jitters About Regulatory Outlook Rile Confidence in Coal Mining Stocks
Growing political momentum for enacting state and national laws to reduce CO2 emissions is raising worries among investors of the long term viability of the coal industry.
NEWS STORY:
Proxy Advisors Come Out Clean
A report from the Government Accountability Office finds that the largest proxy advisor ISS and other advisor firms disclose potential conflicts of interest.
NEWS STORY:
Merrill Lynch Offers New Energy Efficiency Index
Merrill Lynch expands its line of "green" indexes with a new product that tracks the growing movement to reduce energy costs and CO2 emissions.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review-A Billion Bootstraps: Microcredit, Barefoot Banking and the Business Solution for Ending Poverty
Phil Smith and Eric Thurman offer a primer on microcredit for businesspeople who want the best bang for their charitable bucks.
NEWS STORY:
Many Sustainability Reports Upbeat, Ignoring Climate Change Risks
A new study from GRI and KPMG on sustainability reports notes that companies highlight new business opportunities created by climate change and shy away from risks associated with climate change.
NEWS STORY:
SEC Chair Cox Votes For Two Opposing Proxy Access Proposals--Both May Curtail Shareowner Rights
Republican commissioners support a proposal barring shareowners from nominating directors; Democrats support one allowing it, though it introduced other reductions in shareowner power.
NEWS STORY:
Executives and the Environment: Looking Back at Proxy Season 2007
With the 2007 proxy season over, shareholders saw a jump in the number of socially responsible proposals, with support growing for climate change proposals and accountability for executive pay.
NEWS STORY:
Twenty Diverse Companies Make the Sustainability Cut
With some help from KLD, SustainableBusiness.com releases their 6th annual Sustainable Business 20 List: The World's Top Sustainable Stocks.
NEWS STORY:
BSR Proposes Going Beyond Monitoring to Achieve Truly Sustainable Supply Chains
The new report from Business for Social Responsibility posits a four-pronged vision for shifting supply chain management from a surveillance model to a comprehensive, proactive solution.
NEWS STORY:
One and Two Percent Allocations Add Up for Social and Community Development
TIAA-CREF allocates 2% of its Social Choice account for proactive social investments and the Social Investment Forum and Co-op America's 1% or More for Community campaign aims to double the amount invested in community development.
NEWS STORY:
Helping Close the Capital Gap in Africa: Two Big Investments in African Microfinance
More than half of all South Africans still have no access to banking reports Shared Interest, a non-profit investment fund that guarantees bank loans for South Africa's poorest communities. Many Africans suffer from lack of available capital, where only 7 million of Africa's estimated 940 million people had access to microcredit in 2005, according to the State of Microcredit Summit Campaign Report 2006.
NEWS STORY:
Sustainability Picks Up Where Supply and Demand Meet
Both investors and companies are working on sustainability issues as new reports by UN PRI and Goldman Sachs show ESG issues are gaining momentum.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--Ethical Markets: Growing the Green Economy
Author Hazel Henderson's exhaustive survey of the sustainable business landscape serves as a perfect primer on green economics and tracks lesser-known trends and developments.
NEWS STORY:
Selling As A Clear Message: Investors Rid Their Portfolios Of Companies With Ties To Sudan
Claymore/KLD offers the First Sudan Free ETF for retail investors while the SEC's new list of companies operating in "States of Terrorism" is seen by some as too broad.
NEWS STORY:
MMA Helps People Far and Near With its New OneWorld Community Development Investment Program
MMA and the Mennonite Economic Development Associates have created a program for investors to help capital reach poor neighborhoods in the US and abroad.
NEWS STORY:
Wachovia NEXT Awards for Opportunity Finance Honor CDFIs
Three heavy-hitters come together to support community development financial institutions with $42.5 million pledged over the next five years in grants and loans.
NEWS STORY:
Seeing Retirement Investment Through Green-colored Glasses
A new report shows that Americans have more SRI retirement choices than ever before, but it remains to be seen if people chose to put their savings in socially and environmentally screened funds.
NEWS STORY:
ABN Amro: Honored for its Global Sustainability Work and Called Out for Its Climate Change Finance
The Financial Times awards banking goliath ABN Amro its 2007 Sustainable Banking Award while a new report points to the bank's carbon-intensive investments.
NEWS STORY:
Biofuels: Keeping Good Intentions on the Right Path
With the biofuels industry growing by leaps and bounds worldwide, controversy is erupting over whether this important new energy source is truly as sustainable as it claims to be.
NEWS STORY:
New Eurosif Reports Identify ESG Challenges in the European Food and Insurance Sectors
Eurosif's raises awareness of social and environmental issues across European companies in a series of sector-by-sector reports, the two newest covering the insurance and food production sectors.
NEWS STORY:
Forget Fossil Fuels, Calvert Now Offers Global Alternative Energy Fund
Calvert releases a survey of US investors on climate change and expands its family of funds with an alternative energy fund.
NEWS STORY:
One and Two Percent Allocations Add Up for Social and Community Development
TIAA-CREF allocates 2% of its Social Choice account for proactive social investments while the Social Investment Forum and Co-op America's 1% or More for Community campaign aims to double the amount invested in community development.
NEWS STORY:
MMA Now Offers Small Cap and Growth Index Funds
Leading faith-based investment company MMA Praxis Mutual grows its offerings with two new screened funds.
NEWS STORY:
SustainAbility Predicts How Sustainable Development Will Play Out Over Next Two Decades
Part two of this two-part article looks at a recent report from SustainAbility that projects four scenarios of potential developments in sustainability over the next 20 years.
NEWS STORY:
Shareholders Push Social and Environmental Issues to the Forefront
Proxy season 2007 sees a huge number of social and environmental resolutions at US companies with the growing support of voters.
NEWS STORY:
Brundtland Report Celebrates 20th Anniversary Since Coining Sustainable Development
Part one of this two-part article examines how the Brundtland Report has promoted sustainable development over the past two decades.
NEWS STORY:
Gabelli Launches New Value-Oriented SRI Fund
Gabelli Funds offers its first open SRI Fund, backed up by years of SRI experience working with institutional investors.
NEWS STORY:
Calvert's New Growth Fund Has Global Focus
American SRI pioneer Calvert launches the Calvert International Opportunities Fund, a small and mid-cap fund with UK-based F&C Management as sub-advisor.
NEWS STORY:
Principles For Responsible Investment Quadruples Assets in First Year
The United Nations sponsored Principles for Responsible Investment is only one year old, but have already reached $8 trillion plus in assets and expect to keeping on growing.
NEWS STORY:
Shareholder Resolutions on Climate Change to Heat Up ExxonMobil's Annual Meeting
A broad coalition of shareholders is seriously concerned about ExxonMobil's lackluster response to global climate change and plans to give thumbs down to board member Michael Boskin.
NEWS STORY:
Nanotechnology: The Smallest Green Revolution?
A new report from the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies touts "green" nanotechnology, and calls for Federal oversight.
NEWS STORY:
Innovative Fund Looks to Johnny Appleseed for Inspiration
The Appleseed Fund offers social investors a fresh venue for investing in undervalued companies selected for their social and environmental records.
NEWS STORY:
Fidelity Divests Large Chunk of Sudan-Related Holdings
Despite similar pressure from Sudan divestment activists, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway retain holdings in PetroChina, which is linked to genocide in Darfur.
NEWS STORY:
Proven Community Investment Fund Now Open to All
Access Capital Strategies changes the structure of its Community Investing Fund to allow individuals and small institutions to invest in the Fund.
NEWS STORY:
Banking on the Future: The Two Biggest US Banks To Dedicate Billions to Halting Climate Change
Citigroup and Bank of America have pledged billions of dollars to help fight climate change while a new report questions Chinese banks' environmental policies.
NEWS STORY:
Opening Up Pandora's Box: SEC Proxy Roundtable Questions Role of Non-Binding Resolutions
SEC officers and panelists discuss the possibility of removing non-binding resolutions from the proxy and replacing them with online communications between shareowners and companies.
NEWS STORY:
Risky Business: The Outlook for Investing in Nuclear Power
A new report scrutinizes the nuclear industry from an investor's perspective and finds a rotting fantasy of cheap energy and huge returns.
NEWS STORY:
Going In and Out the Windows: Weaving a Web of Political Accountability
The Center for Political Accountability's new report "Open Windows" calls on companies for greater transparency and accountability in political giving and outlines a model of political accountability.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review: Deep Economy: The Wealth Of Communities And The Durable Future
Author Bill McKibben's latest book helps lay the groundwork to create a more livable and viable world in which less is actually better.
NEWS STORY:
Grading Sustainability Reports: Creating the Curve
As more and more companies publish sustainability reports, awards and studies of these reports help raise reporting standards.
NEWS STORY:
Shareholders One Step Closer to Having a "Say on Pay"
The US House of Representatives votes to give shareholders an advisory non-binding vote on executive compensation.
NEWS STORY:
Yes and No: Newmont Recommends Voting For One Resolution, Petitions SEC to Omit Another
The actions span the gamut of corporate responses to shareowner resolutions on environmental, social, and governance issues, from wholehearted support to forceful opposition.
NEWS STORY:
Over the Hedge: New Green Hedge Fund of Funds
Kenmar plans to launch socially responsible hedge fund of funds for institutional investors.
NEWS STORY:
Shareholders Work to Make AIDS Drugs Available Worldwide
Abbott Labs changes its tune and lowers price of AIDS fighting drugs in low-and-middle income countries.
NEWS STORY:
Corporate Social Responsibility: Perfect Playing Field for Tipping Points and Cognitive Frames
The Lifeworth review of CSR developments in 2006 fuses two popular concepts on social beliefs and change to promote personal, corporate, and societal transformation.
NEWS STORY:
Surveillance, Schmurveillance?
Wal-Mart's apparent research and surveillance activities geared toward shareholders raises troubling, but perhaps fleeting questions about trust.
NEWS STORY:
If You Tag It, It Will Be Used: Sustainability Reporting in XBRL
Weeks after the latest SEC roundtable on interactive data, the Global Reporting Initiative releases a draft taxonomy of XBRL tags mapped to G3 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines.
NEWS STORY:
Water, Water, But Not Everywhere
The entry of private equity firms and consolidation of utility operations by large conglomerates are poised to change the water industry over the next 20 years.
NEWS STORY:
Spectra Green Fund Offers a Different Shade of Green
The Spectra Green Fund, from Fred Alger Management, broadens approach to selecting sustainable and environmentally conscious companies.
NEWS STORY:
Porter and Kramer Framework Melding CSR with Business Strategy Wins Harvard Award
The Harvard Business Review grants the 2006 McKinsey Award to an article arguing companies create competitive advantage by integrating social and environmental issues into core strategy.
NEWS STORY:
Subprime Lending Hurts Homeowners
The Center for Responsible Lending contends that subprime lending has led to a net loss in homeownership.
NEWS STORY:
Carbon Offsets: Modern-Day Indulgences to Assuage Carbon Guilt or Market Mechanism for Supporting Clean Energy
Even as they gain popularity as a climate change solution, carbon offsets have come under considerable criticism for diluting action on global warming--the truth likely resides between these extremes.
NEWS STORY:
Canadian SRI Assets Leap to More Than $500 Billion Canadian
A new survey from the Social Investment Organization shows Canadian SRI assets ballooning thanks to increased institutional interest and new methodology.
NEWS STORY:
The World's Poor: Huge Market or Just a Marketer’s Fantasy?
New report from the International Finance Corporation and World Resources Institute measures the market-size of the Earth's people who live in poverty.
NEWS STORY:
Concerned Investors and Businesses Call for Congress to Pass a Carbon-Cap or Wear a Dunce Cap
A large group of institutional investors and US companies call on the federal government to pass legislation to fight climate change that includes a demand for mandated cuts in greenhouse gasses.
NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Activism Precedes Development of SRI Slavery Screen
Most slavery exists far up the supply chain, and auditing practices do not yet exist to monitor for slavery at second- or third-tier suppliers, so it is too early to enact an enforceable slavery screen.
NEWS STORY:
ABN AMRO Asset Management Launches First Indian SRI Mutual Fund
New fund focuses on companies screened by Indian research and ratings company CRISIL.
NEWS STORY:
TIAA-CREF Ups the Ante With New Stance on ESG Issues
TIAA-CREF’s new policy statement and proxy voting guidelines address social, environmental and governance issues, moving SRI arguments into the mainstream.
NEWS STORY:
Ruggie Report Says Voluntary Human Rights Initiatives Set Stage for Binding Global Standards
While the report finds significant flaws with voluntary collaborations between corporations and civil society, they currently fill the gap created by nation-states failing to protect human rights.
NEWS STORY:
S&P Tracks Sustainability With a New Global Index
S&P jumps into the growing pool of sustainability indexes with the launch of its Global Thematic Index Series.
NEWS STORY:
Mutual Funds Inch Toward More Conscientious Proxy Voting on Social and Environmental Resolutions
Corporate social responsibility resolutions addressing climate change reveal the increasing complexity of assessing proxy voting records.
NEWS STORY:
Carrying the Shield for Responsible Investing in Canada
Corporate Knights magazine names top Canadian SRI mutual funds and releases survey that finds SRI funds mirror market performance.
NEWS STORY:
Chocolate Giant Commits to Responsible Supplier Code
The Hershey Company is working to create a supplier code of conduct that goes above and beyond just cocoa suppliers.
NEWS STORY:
New Bond Index Focuses on Climate Change
JP Morgan Chase and Innovest introduce the first bond index that addresses climate change risks and possibilities.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--The New Capitalists: How Citizen Investors Are Reshaping the Corporate Agenda
This book introduces a series of new concepts such as the civil economy, the circle of accountability, and the capitalist manifesto that harness capitalism toward social purpose.
NEWS STORY:
Toxic Cosmetics Getting Under the Skin of Concerned Investors
Health-conscious investors and consumers are starting to demand cosmetic companies report and ban toxic ingredients.
NEWS STORY:
New Ethical Fund Brings Value-Based Investing to High Street
Marks & Spencer Money, a former division of the top English retailer Marks & Spencer, has started offering a new SRI fund called the M & S Ethical Fund, which will be managed by two well-respected SRI mangers.
NEWS STORY:
Citigroup, Lehman Brothers, and UBS Report on Climate Risks and Opportunities for Investing
Lehman Brothers and UBS agree climate change represents a market failure for neglecting to price carbon externalizations in valuations, while Citigroup makes specific stock picks.
NEWS STORY:
New Fund for Affordable Housing In Latin America
With $100 million pledged from OPIC, the Alsis Latin America Fund supports home construction and local capital markets in Latin America.
NEWS STORY:
Aflac Shareholders Get Say on Executive Pay
Aflac becomes the first major US company to offer shareholders a non-binding vote on executive compensation packages.
NEWS STORY:
Business for Social Responsibility Fuses the Theoretical and Practical to Promote Sustainability
SocialFunds.com speaks with Aron Cramer, CEO of Business for Social Responsibility, about past developments in corporate social responsibility and future trajectories of sustainability.
NEWS STORY:
Shareholders Ask Companies for Transparency on Corporate Political Giving
With 43 companies facing shareholder resolutions on political accountability this proxy season, a handful of companies have already reached agreements with filers on this issue.
NEWS STORY:
Top US Jewelry Retailers Get the Gold for Signing Responsibility Pledge
In time for Valentine’s Day, seven out of the top ten US jewelry retailers sign No Dirty Gold’s "Golden Rules" to back responsible gold mining practices.
NEWS STORY:
The Gates Foundation and Mission Related Investing: Room for Alignment?
An investigative report into the investment practices of the Gates Foundation has reinvigorated the debate over the obligation of foundations to align their missions with their investments.
NEWS STORY:
Social(k) Catalyzes SRI Retirement Opportunities for Employees
Social(k)’s online retirement platform expands companies’ retirement options by offering over 100 SRI funds.
NEWS STORY:
Proxy Votes on Sexual Orientation Nondiscrimination Draw Strong Support
Shareholder resolutions calling for equal rights for all employees at Commercial Metals and Micron highlight growing support for companies to include sexual orientation in their nondiscrimination policies.
NEWS STORY:
S&P 500 Lags on Climate Disclosure, Electric Utilities Burning Economic Value Into Carbon
Two recent reports use findings of the 2006 Carbon Disclosure Project to assess limits of transparency on climate risks and opportunities and drag on value creation at electric utilities.
NEWS STORY:
Top CEOs Address Climate Change
A collaboration between ten major US companies and four environmental organizations calls on the Federal government to quickly enact strong legislation to reduce greenhouse emissions.
NEWS STORY:
"Say on Pay" Highlighted in the Upcoming 2007 Proxy Season
Institutional investors band together, asking for the right to weigh in on top executive compensation packages.
NEWS STORY:
Inaugural Report Card Grades College Sustainability on Endowment and Campus Efforts
The Sustainable Endowments Institute study finds endowment sustainability lagging campus sustainability policies and initiatives.
NEWS STORY:
Global 100 List Raises the Profile of Sustainability at the World Economic Forum (and Beyond)
Competition to make the third annual list of the 100 most sustainable companies--based on ratings by Innovest--continues to spur strong corporate social and environmental performance.
NEWS STORY:
Surveyed Managers Emphasize Socially Responsible Issues
EIRIS’ newest survey asserts that both SRI and mainstreams investors view specific environmental, social, and governance factors as important when applied to certain sectors.
NEWS STORY:
From Competition to Cooperation: Companies Collaborate on Social and Environmental Issues
Collaborative initiatives bring together companies, investors, and activists to address issues such as online freedom of expression, climate change, and labor rights in the global supply chain.
NEWS STORY:
MicroVest Secures Mutual Fund Investor
Meritas Jantzi Social Index Fund Invests with MicroVest
NEWS STORY:
The Problem with Voluntary Corporate Initiatives Is -- Well, They Are Voluntary
A Harvard study identifies the voluntary nature of such corporate social and environmental initiatives as their pitfall, limiting the ability to gauge their effectiveness.
NEWS STORY:
Study Links Options Backdating to Corporate Governance Weaknesses
Harvard Professor Lucian Bebchuk and colleagues use a new method of identifying CEO and outside director manipulation of stock option timing and assert correlations to governance problems.
NEWS STORY:
New Domini Funds Invest in the World
Domini charts new territory with the creation of the Domini PacAsia Social Equity Fund and the Domini EuroPacific Social Equity Fund.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--Make Poverty Business: Increase Profits and Reduce Risks by Engaging with the Poor
The co-authors provide a blueprint for on-the-ground managers of multinational corporations to create sustainable profits and reduce country risk by helping alleviate poverty.
NEWS STORY:
Top Five Socially Responsible Investing News Stories of 2006
Green investing booms, microfinance pioneer wins Nobel Peace Prize, shareowner democracy increases, resolutions receive record votes, and UN launches Principles of Responsible Investment
NEWS STORY:
Launch of Three New Clean Tech Indexes Culminates Banner Year for Green Investing
The three Jefferies Global Clean Technology Indexes join the half-dozen green indexes introduced this year.
NEWS STORY:
Costs of Carbon and Coal: Examining Emissions Trading Scheme Impact on Shareowner Value
WWF and SAM Group collaborate on a study modeling impacts of rising costs of carbon dioxide emissions on the valuation of German utility RWE, the biggest private carbon emitter in Europe.
NEWS STORY:
Rainforest Action Network Seeks to Stem Flow of Financing to TXU Coal Project
Part two of this two-part articles addresses how RAN sent a letter to 54 banks urging them to withhold funding from a TXU plan to build 11 pulverized coal-burning power plants in Texas.
NEWS STORY:
TXU Shareowners File Three Resolutions Questioning Wisdom of Pulverized Coal Plants
Part one of this two-part article examines how shareowners are raising environmental and regulatory concerns over the TXU coal expansion plan, as well as environmentally preferable alternatives to coal such as energy efficiency.
NEWS STORY:
Swedish Government Facilitates Corporate Responsibility
A SocialFunds.com interview with Elisabeth Dahlin, Ambassador, Head of Global Responsibility, Sweden.
NEWS STORY:
Institutional Investors in France Foresee Continuing Growth of Socially Responsible Investing
A Novethic survey tells some of the story behind the numbers documented in the September 2006 Eurosif report on the growth of SRI in Europe.
NEWS STORY:
Retailers Improve on Keeping Violent Video Games Out of the Hands of Children
An Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility report also identifies several areas where the seven companies examined stand to improve performance--predominantly on disclosure.
NEWS STORY:
Another Clean Energy Exchange Traded Fund to Launch
First Trust Advisors is slated to introduce an ETF that tracks the NASDAQ Clean Edge US Liquid Series Index early next year.
NEWS STORY:
Marriott Combats Child Sexual Exploitation
Shareowner engagement by Boston Common Asset Management and the First Swedish National Pension Fund prompts Marriott to explicitly address child sex tourism in its human rights policy.
NEWS STORY:
How to Do Sustainble Banking
BankTrack, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations promoting social and environmental responsibility in the finance sector, issues a guide to best practices in sustainable banking.
NEWS STORY:
Eight Percent of Fortune 500 Taking EPA Challenge to Double Their Green Energy Use
Fortune 500 companies are installing renewable energy generation on-site as well as purchasing green power directly or through renewable energy certificates.
NEWS STORY:
Pharma Companies Need to Keep Improving AIDS Response, Says ICCR and Nigerian Doctor
Chukwumuanya Igboekwu of Physicians for Social Justice adds his own critiques to the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility study on pharmaceutical industry shortcomings in addressing AIDS.
NEWS STORY:
The Growth of Green Building Funds
A new urban green real estate fund from Revival Fund Management exemplifies a budding trend toward private funds capitalized by accredited investors.
NEWS STORY:
Corporate Accountability Improves, Progressing on Stakeholder Engagement But Not Assurance
Vodafone, BP, and Shell top the annual Global Accountability Rating by AccountAbility and CSRnetwork, with Home Depot rising 10 percentage points and Chevron falling 20.
NEWS STORY:
Ecosystem Depletion Presents Businesses with Risks and Opportunities
Four prominent environmental and business organizations report on the business risks and opportunities associated with ecosystem crises such as climate change and water scarcity.
NEWS STORY:
New Exchange Traded Fund Tracks Domini 400 Social Index
Barclays Global Investors launches the iShares KLD 400 Social Index ETF.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review: Green to Gold: How Smart Companies Use Environmental Strategy to Innovate, Create Value, and Build Competitive Advantage
The plethora of real-life examples of corporate environmental initiatives is where readers will find value in this book from two authors associated with Yale.
NEWS STORY:
Dear Sir or Madam: Stakeholder Letters Push Corporate Sustainability Improvements
Letters remains an important mode for addressing environmental, social, and governance issues, encompassing a broader swath than simply communication between shareowners and companies.
NEWS STORY:
Merrill Lynch and World Resources Institute Issue Second Auto Sector Climate Change Report
The report again balances stock picking and investment analysis with in-depth discussion of regulatory and market developments in response to global warming and energy security concerns.
NEWS STORY:
Sustainability Reporting Improving, But Not Necessarily Contributing to True Sustainability
The biennial survey of global reporters by SustainAbility assesses disclosure on sustainability performance, but refrains from directly assessing corporate sustainability performance.
NEWS STORY:
Study Finds Corporate Political Donations Increase Share Price, But Ignores Potential Risks
The academic paper documents up to six percent annual return increase when companies support more candidates, but it neglects to address rising legal risks of donations being defined as bribes.
NEWS STORY:
Merrill Lynch Uses CDFI Assessment and Ratings System on $93 Million Community Investment
While many investors use the CARS ratings as secondary information in their community investment decisions, Merrill Lynch will use it as its primary underwriting tool.
NEWS STORY:
KLD Fills Gap in Socially Responsible Investing by Launching Equity Income Index
The KLD Dividend Achievers Social Index, created in partnership with Mergent, provides a new option for passive investment vehicles in this previously underdeveloped asset allocation in SRI.
NEWS STORY:
As Climate Debate Matures, Companies Strategize Solutions and Investors Push for Disclosure
Companies are taking tangible actions to minimize risks and seize opportunities related to climate change, while investors promote more robust climate-related disclosure.
NEWS STORY:
Two New ETFs Fight Climate Change: One Bridges Shift to Cleaner Energy, One Pushes Cleantech
The PowerShares WilderHill Progressive Energy Portfolio and the PowerShares Cleantech Portfolio offer investors increasing choice for investing in climate change solutions.
NEWS STORY:
Glass Lewis Adds KLD Proxy Voting Guidelines to Proxy Voting Platform
The move increases the availability of socially responsible investing proxy voting guidelines, but it remains to be seen if it inspires Glass Lewis to support more SRI resolutions in its own guidelines.
NEWS STORY:
Pax World Drops Zero Tolerance Screens on Alcohol and Gambling
SocialFunds.com speaks with Pax World CEO Joe Keefe about changes approved today, including the addition of governance, climate change, and human rights screens.
NEWS STORY:
Winslow Conservation Index Outperforms the S&P 500 and Russell 2000
Winslow Management Company back-tested five-year performance of 15 companies focused on conservation, an oft-overlooked component of the alternative energy equation.
NEWS STORY:
PepsiCo and Coca-Cola Get Cs on Report Card for Ten Percent Recycled Content in Bottles
The report, conducted by the As You Sow (AYS) Foundation and the Container Recycling Institute, graded the ten other beverage companies D- and F on recycling.
NEWS STORY:
Votes for Social and Environmental Resolutions Rising, But Proxy Firm Support Still Lagging
Over a quarter of social and environmental resolutions topped 15 percent support this proxy season, but proxy advisory firm recommendations supporting such proposals remain low.
NEWS STORY:
(PRODUCT) RED Combats HIV/AIDS by Funneling Portions of Sales to the Global Fund
Gap Inc commits half of profits from its RED-branded product line to the Global Fund, exemplifying this new business model for generating sustainable funds for addressing the AIDS pandemic.
NEWS STORY:
Nobel Prize Links Microfinance to Peace
The granting of the Nobel Peace Prize to Muhammad Yunus and the Grameen Bank breaks new ground by explicitly linking economic development to peace development.
NEWS STORY:
Blue Funds to Invest in Companies that Support Democrats
The two new funds seek to capitalize on research that finds that Democrat-supporting companies significantly outperform Republican-supporting companies.
NEWS STORY:
Global Compact Aligns with GRI and the Practical Side of the Change Agenda
In part two of this two-part interview, SocialFunds.com speaks with Georg Kell about new alliances facilitating Communication on Progress reporting as well as broader issues facing the Global Compact.
NEWS STORY:
Global Compact Puts 335 Companies in Deep Freezer Until They Communicate on Progress
In part one of this two-part interview, SocialFunds.com speaks with Georg Kell about the de-listing of 335 companies from the Global Compact for failing to issue Communication on Progress reports.
NEWS STORY:
Microfinance Crosses Continental Divide with $100 Million Commitment from TIAA-CREF
TIAA-CREF inaugurated its Global Microfinance Investment Program by purchasing from ProCredit Holdings $43 million in private equity shares, a new strategy in microfinance.
NEWS STORY:
Investors Call on S&P 500 Companies to Use New Global Reporting Initiative G3 Guidelines
Only 13 percent of the S&P 500 issues GRI reports--those that do see the move as insulating them against the possibility of future mandated disclosure on issues such as climate risk.
NEWS STORY:
FTSE4Good Deletes Nine Companies on Environmental and Supply Chain Labor Standards
FTSE4Good criteria promote incremental progress in corporate social responsibility performance, and climate change is the latest topic covered in newly proposed standards.
NEWS STORY:
New Socially Responsible Investing Portfolios Offer Alternatives to SRI Mutual Funds
Investment advisors can now offer retail clients separate accounts tracking seven different indexes, and a new index is geared toward high net worth individuals with Catholic values.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review: The Business Case for Diversity
DiversityInc presents compelling anecdotal evidence supporting the business case for diversity as well as copious empirical evidence, some of which is marred by editorial oversights.
NEWS STORY:
Why Aren't We Here Yesterday? A Conversation with Social Investment Forum CEO Lisa Woll
SocialFunds.com speaks with Lisa Woll as well as SIF President Tim Smith about the new CEO position and the future direction of SIF and socially responsible investing generally.
NEWS STORY:
BP, John Deere, Goldman Sachs, and Allianz Among Renewable Energy Award Winners
The third annual award ceremony, sponsored by Euromoney and Ernst and Young, took place during the Renewable Energy Finance Forum.
NEWS STORY:
Emerging Markets Emerging as Socially Responsible Investing Opportunities
A report by the Ethical Investment Research Services examines 50 emerging market companies using various SRI screens, and finds a number of possible plays.
NEWS STORY:
Mainstreaming of SRI Boosts Assets in Europe Over One Trillion Euros
The latest report by Eurosif on socially responsible investing in Europe notes the distinction between core SRI, which is steady, and broad SRI, which is fueling the growth.
NEWS STORY:
Pennsylvania Treasurer Keys into Clean Tech Investing and Green Screens
Keystone Green Investment Strategy commits state to $40 million in green private investments, $50 million shifted to managers investing in clean tech, and environmental screening.
NEWS STORY:
Canadian Social Investment Organization Recommends Mandating Global Reporting Initiative
In a submission to the National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility, SIO advocates for amending the Canada Business Corporations Act to mandate annual GRI reporting.
NEWS STORY:
Carbon Disclosure Project Finds Tipping Point in Awareness But Not Action on Climate Risks
CDP4 reveals almost three quarters of FT500 tracking their greenhouse gas emissions, but less than half of those who think climate change poses risks are reducing GHG emissions.
NEWS STORY:
Academic Joins Shareowners in Advocating Corporate Lobbying Reform
Yale University Professor Bob Repetto issues paper calling for companies to rapidly adopt best practice on corporate lobbying, including oversight and approval by independent directors.
NEWS STORY:
Court Affirms Shareowner Right to File Resolutions on Proxy Access for Nominating Directors
The decision, which simply upholds existing rules that SEC practice had departed from, fills the void left when the SEC proposed then abandoned a rule on proxy access for nominating directors.
NEWS STORY:
DJSI Takes Holistic Approach to Assessing and Promoting Corporate Sustainability
Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes assesses overall sustainability performance, driving constant improvement through the competitiveness to attain best-in-class status.
NEWS STORY:
Barclays Files for Permission to Launch iShares ETF Tracking the Domini Social Index
The exchange-traded fund will likely have a low expense ratio, but will not conduct shareowner engagement like the other fund tracking the DSI, the Green Century Equity Fund, does.
NEWS STORY:
The Ratio of Greed: Report Pierces Numbing Numbers of Executive Excess
United for a Fair Economy and Institute for Policy Studies publish 13th annual study examining CEO compensation, which continues its upward trend while worker pay stagnates.
NEWS STORY:
Pax World and Citizens Announce Engagement
The marriage would consolidate two leading socially responsible investing firms with primarily complementary offerings.
NEWS STORY:
Hydropower Stocks as an Alternative Energy Play
Phaethon and Creative Investment Research recommend hydro to gain exposure to the energy boom, contending new technologies offer potential for reducing environmental impacts.
NEWS STORY:
Green Century Equity Fund Seeks Shareowner Okay to Continue Tracking Domini Social Index
Green Century also announced its intention to lower the expense ratio for the fund with aim of enlarging the fund's investor base.
NEWS STORY:
How Insurers Are (and Are Not) Tackling Climate Risk in Underwriting, Investing, and Policies
A new report from Ceres identifies almost 200 activities recently introduced by insurers to address climate change, but calls on the industry for further action.
NEWS STORY:
Trucost Joins Yale Professor to Devise Tool to Gauge Financial Cost of Environmental Impacts
Professor Robert Repetto and Trucost Researcher Dan Dias apply the TRUEVA methodology for measuring externalities in financial terms to the US electric sector, which scores terribly.
NEWS STORY:
Domini Shareowners Approve Shift from Index Tracking to Active Management
The transition carries implications for investors, such as capital gains taxes, which Domini is strategically mitigating.
NEWS STORY:
EPA Workers Want SRI Funds in Retirement Plan, But Congress Drags Its Feet on Bill
A 2005 survey finds almost all Environmental Protection Agency employees want socially responsible investing options, while a Bill adding a SRI option languishes two years in committee.
NEWS STORY:
ICCR Benchmarks Pharma Responses to AIDS and Diseases of Poverty in Emerging Markets
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility report assesses 15 pharmaceutical companies, and finds all of them falling short of best practice in most areas on AIDS and neglected diseases.
NEWS STORY:
Alternative Energy Revolution Fueled by New Fund Launches Despite Sector Downturn
The launch of the Guinness Atkinson Alternative Energy Fund testifies to optimism about the sub-sector echoed by the launch of the first renewable energy hedge fund by Ardsley Partners.
NEWS STORY:
Benchmarking Corporate Climate Change Mitigation to Scientific Targets
The Center for Sustainable Innovation launches a new tool for measuring corporate sustainability using emissions reductions goals set by science, not business or politics.
NEWS STORY:
Calvert and Ford Foundations Help Launch Public Radio Fund to Democratize the Airwaves
The foundations jointly seeded $4.5 million in the revolving loan fund administered by Denver-based Public Radio Capital to provide low-interest loans to public radio projects nationally.
NEWS STORY:
Shareowners Push TimeWarner on Movies Depicting Smoking, Recycled Paper, and Pay Disparity
Part two of this two-part article documents steps forward made by TimeWarner, as well as areas where shareowner activists continue to press for progress.
NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Activists See Progress at TimeWarner, and Room for Improvement
In part one of this two-part article, activists applaud the company on its first corporate social responsibility report while continuing to push on environmental, social, and governance issues.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--International Documents on Corporate Responsibility
A comprehensive compendium of important codes on corporate social responsibility.
NEWS STORY:
ADVANCE Converts Corporate Environmental Metrics Into Monetary Terms
The transparent methodology stands to advance corporate social responsibility and socially responsible investing, but it remains to be seen if it measures true sustainability.
NEWS STORY:
Biofuels May Not Be Sustainability Panacea, According to Bank Sarasin Report
The report identifies strengths and weaknesses of biofuels from social and environmental perspectives, as well as positing minimum sustainability criteria to qualify for investment.
NEWS STORY:
BP, Suncor, and Shell Top Oil Sector Sustainability Rating; Chevron and ExxonMobil Rank Low
The report by Jantzi Research examines 23 oil companies worldwide on environmental issues such as greenhouse gas emissions as well as human rights and other social issues.
NEWS STORY:
First Socially Responsible Investing Portfolio Devoted to Diversity Launched
Minority-owned Creative Investment Research conceived of the portfolio to promote corporate diversity while targeting women and minority investors for economic empowerment.
NEWS STORY:
The Pages of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility
Books addressing climate change dominate the fourth annual SocialFunds.com Summer Reading List recommended by socially responsible investing and corporate social responsibility leaders.
NEWS STORY:
Executives and the Environment: Looking Back at Proxy Season 2007
With the 2007 proxy season over, shareholders saw a jump in the number of socially responsible proposals, with support growing for climate change proposals and accountability for executive pay.
NEWS STORY:
Nuns and Priests File Depleted Uranium Bunker Buster Resolution at Three Weapons Companies
The resolution goes to vote next week at Alliant Techsystems, and already received more than double the support needed to re-file next year at Lockheed Martin and Textron.
NEWS STORY:
Survey Examines Nomenclature and Numbers Fueling SRI and Extra-Financial Research
The fourth annual survey from Thomson Extel and the UK Social Investment Forum looks beyond the numbers to assess the role of language in promoting uptake of SRI research.
NEWS STORY:
Trillium Takes the Reins from Winslow in Managing the Green Century Balanced Fund
The transition in portfolio managers has shifted the fund back to its roots as a core portfolio holding by reducing risk and diversifying holdings across the multi-cap space.
NEWS STORY:
Filing Resolutions at Mutual Funds: The Next Frontier for Shareowner Activism?
Eight years after the Northwest Corporate Accountability Project first filed an environmental shareowner resolution, it will finally go to vote at the Merrill Lynch Global Allocation Fund.
NEWS STORY:
Parnassus Small Cap Fund Identifies Unique Sustainability Characteristics to Outperform Russell 2000
While the introduction of the Parnassus Workplace Fund a year ago piqued interest, the Parnassus Small Cap Fund unveiled at the same time is turning heads with strong financial performance.
NEWS STORY:
UN Advances Business Case for Materiality of SRI, Leaving Skeptics Little Wiggle Room
A new UNEP FI report assesses how investment banks are integrating environmental, social, and governance factors and linking them to financial performance in their research.
NEWS STORY:
Survey Reveals TIAA-CREF Investor Desire to Up Commitment to SRI
TIAA-CREF promises to respond to participants, of whom over three-quarters prioritize social and environmental considerations in investing choices.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--The Triple Bottom Line: How Today's Best-Run Companies Are Achieving Economic, Social, and Environmental Success--And How You Can Too
The book lays out a framework for companies to follow on the path toward integrating the triple bottom line of economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
NEWS STORY:
Revised Equator Principles Fall Short of International Best Practice for Project Finance
While some observers praise the strengthening of labor rights, others decry the failure to implement adequate transparency, accountability, and governance mechanisms.
NEWS STORY:
Some Applaud Rise in Sustainability Reporting, Others Say It Masks Corporate Un-sustainability
A new study documents the increase in sustainability reporting, but a paper by St. Andrews researchers considers corporate sustainability an unrealistic goal under current economic system.
NEWS STORY:
Missouri Farmers Union Credit Union Supports Sustainability in Low-Income Rural Areas
The new credit union supports cooperative entrepreneurial models that advance social responsibility and environmental sustainability in low-income agricultural regions.
NEWS STORY:
Assessing Job Creation as a Social Indicator Correlating to Financial Performance
A new study from Switzerland-based Pictet & Cie argues that job creation eclipses all other labor issues as a key indicator of corporate social responsibility, and measures its impact on returns.
NEWS STORY:
Recycling 1.2--Dell, HP, and Apple Upgrade Takeback Programs to Slouch Toward Sustainability
The Computer TakeBack Campaign applauds the improvements while mapping the long road the computer industry still has to travel to attain true sustainability.
NEWS STORY:
Does Trucost Measurement of Corporate Carbon Footprints Reduce Environmental Impacts?
Trucost ranks the carbon intensity in UK portfolios, arguing for overweighting companies with lower carbon footprints to reduce ecological impact while maintaining performance.
NEWS STORY:
Sending Funds Home to Mexico Just Got Cheaper for Latino Community Credit Union Members
The Durham, North Carolina-based community development credit union will charge a flat $3 fee, use the exchange rate set by the Fed, and allow recipients to set up accounts in Mexico.
NEWS STORY:
Missouri Treasurer Implements Anti-Terrorism Screen on State Fund
The screen excludes Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism, not necessarily as a genocidal regime, distinguishing this strategy from other Sudan-related state divestment strategies.
BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--Shareholder Participation and the Corporation: A Fresh Inter-disciplinary Approach in Happiness
Australian Law Professor James McConvill applies empirical research on happiness to corporations, specifically focusing on the case it makes for shareowner empowerment.
NEWS STORY:
Semantics and Semitics: Presbyterian Church Investment to Focus on Israeli-Palestinian Peace
A recommendation approved by the church General Assembly apologizes to Jews and refines language while reaffirming commitment to corporate engagement with divestment as last resort.
NEWS STORY:
Stratfor Analysis Says Rise in Support for Shareowner Activism is Hitting a Plateau
The analysis suggests that corporate executives are building up a tolerance to higher resolution votes; mutual fund proxy voting transparency represents the next frontier for shareowner activists to boost votes.
NEWS STORY:
Canadian SRI Funds Perform On Par with Mainstream Funds
A survey of Canadian socially responsible investing funds finds a broad range of rigorousness in assessing corporate social and environmental sustainability.
NEWS STORY:
Correlating Proxy Advisory Firm Recommendations with Voting Results
A look at the link between recommendations by Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis, and PROXYGovernance and voting results at Citigroup, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Wal-Mart.
NEWS STORY:
Norwegian Government Pension Fund Dumps Wal-Mart and Freeport on Ethical Exclusions
The $230 billion global fund--one of the largest pension funds in the world--cited Wal-Mart for systematic human rights violations and Freeport for serious environmental damage.
NEWS STORY:
World Resources Institute and Citigroup Team Up to Report on Solutions to Climate Change
The report recommends a dozen companies poised to profit from a carbon-constrained future, including Archer Daniels Midland, Caterpillar, Cypress Semiconductor, GE, Itron, Johnson Controls, Monsanto, and Waste Management
NEWS STORY:
Why Do Minorities Receive More Subprime Mortgages? Can You Say, Kickback?
A new Center for Responsible Lending study shoots holes in industry rationale that bad credit histories of African-Americans and Latinos account for disproportionate subprime mortgages.
NEWS STORY:
Winslow and Jupiter Launch Global Green Fund Using Only Positive Environmental Criteria
The Jupiter Green Investment Trust pioneers cross-continent collaboration and evolution from negative screening to positive sustainability criteria.
NEWS STORY:
Corporate Shenanigans: Companies Dis Shareowners at Annual Meetin |
