Issue 12 - August 2003

News

• Environmental survey highlights lack of action among SMEs
• The largest ever study into the environmental behaviour of smaller UK businesses reveals that the nation's smallest firms are failing to take action to protect the environment
• Six short essays on sustainable development and U.S. law
• The Environmental Law Institute has invited a panel of US Law experts to share their thoughts on whether or not legislative means can be used to achieve sustainable development.
• Global Reporting Initiative announces launch of the Structured Feedback Process for the 2002 Sustainability Reporting Guidelines
• GRI has invited all interested stakeholders to participate in an essential first step toward the improvement and revision of the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines
• The OFR Working Group releases their Consultation Document on the key issue of materiality in the context of the OFR
• This group, which has been asked by the UK Government to help in the process of providing guidance to directors on how to prepare their Operating and Financial Reviews, has issued their Consultation Document
• Morley Fund Management publishes second sustainability matrix
• The Morley FTSE100 Sustainability Matrix ranks companies according to social and environmental risks, liabilities and opportunities and provides a measure of business sustainability
• ACCA Hong Kong Environmental Reporting Awards 2002 ceremony takes place
• There were three winners in this first cycle of the ACCA Hong Kong Awards. The Guest of Honour was The Honourable Eric Li, JP, the Legislative Councillor, who gave the key-note speechThere were three winners in this first cycle of the ACCA Hong Kong Awards. The Guest of Honour was The Honourable Eric Li, JP, the Legislative Councillor, who gave the key-note speech

New Publications

• Redefining CSR, Tomorrow's Company
• This paper identifies two types of Corporate Social Responsibility, "compliance" CSR and "conviction" CSR
• Human capital external reporting framework: The change agenda
• The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development has developed guidance to support people management and development professionals make a contribution to the UK Government's forthcoming OFR requirements
• Socially Responsible Investment annual report, Henderson's
• This first Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) annual report is a comprehensive account of Henderson's SRI investment, research and engagement activities during 2002
• Managing Reputational Risk, Jenny Rayner
• This book argues that managing reputational threats and opportunities must become a central boardroom concern, a key plank of corporate governance and a cornerstone of business strategy
• Just Values, Beyond the business case for sustainable development
• This latest BT occasional paper argues that businesses and government have a moral obligation to push the boundaries of the business case for sustainable development beyond the comfort zone
• Ethical and social auditing and reporting - the challenge for the internal auditor
• The Institute of Internal Auditors - UK and Ireland, has published a Professional Issues Bulletin covering ethical and social auditing and reporting issues
• Speaking The Same Language: Improving Communications between Companies and Investors on Corporate Responsibility
• Arthur D. Little has undertaken research for the UK Social Investment Forum and Business in the Community to look at the underlying reasons for poor communication between the SRI community and companies
• Corporate Governance and Climate Change: Making the Connection, CERES
• This report evaluates how 20 of the world's biggest corporate emitters of greenhouse gases are factoring climate change into their business strategies and governance practices
• Making the NetWork, Digital Europe project
• A new report from the Digital Europe project answers crucial questions being asked about the effect of information communication technology on sustainable development
• Spotlight on business environmental performance 2002
• This fifth annual report presents sector-by-sector analysis of businesses and industry in England and Wales, highlights good and bad performers and details the main prosecutions brought by the UK's Environment Agency over the year
• Reputation and the bottom line, Institute of Public Relations
• The IPR's reputation guidelines provide a framework that will help corporate communication advisors meet the UK Government's forthcoming OFR requirements and provide more effective stakeholder communications
• The 21st Century NGO: In the Market for Change, SustainAbility
• An international study reveals that increasing numbers of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are making strategic decisions to engage with business and governments in an effort to reform market systems
• Environmental Regulation: getting the message across, Better Regulation Task Force
• This report urges the UK Government to get clarity into the implementation of the End-of Life Vehicles (ELV) and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directives
• Indicators that Count, Business in the Community
• BitC has published a set of indicators found useful and measurable as a base line and starting point for measuring and reporting social and environmental impact
• Redefining Materiality, AccountAbility
• Redefining Materiality proposes a new approach to defining 'materiality' in corporate reporting, and is particularly relevant to the UK Government's proposed amendments to Company Law

GRI update

• GRI update