Uncategorized

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Continues its Divestment from Oil

The Gates Foundation continues their disposal of fossil fuel equities.  Between September and December, 2015, the Foundation “sold its $187m stake in BP.”  This move follows a prior stock sale by the foundation to liquidate their entire $824 M holding in ExxonMobil. This matters because as recently as October, Bill Gates is on the record against divestment …

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Continues its Divestment from Oil Read More »

Conflict Minerals: Where Dodd-Frank, The Enough Project and Global Witness Went Wrong

It seemed easy and straightforward enough. Fighting in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) between a variety of warring factions has resulted in the death, rape and displacement of many in the region. Based on most accounts upwards of 5.4 million people died during the official war period of 1998-2003 and some 2.7 …

Conflict Minerals: Where Dodd-Frank, The Enough Project and Global Witness Went Wrong Read More »

Is Occupy Wall Street Really About CSR?

Since the movement began, people have discussed goals/themes/demands of Occupy Wall Street and have found little clarity. In some ways this is the essence of the movement, but in an effort to define everything, many people assume it’s the anger of the common person directed towards banks for manipulating their money and tanking the economy. …

Is Occupy Wall Street Really About CSR? Read More »

What Does Social Enterprise Really Mean?

Apparently I have a problem with terminology. I’m not sure when this started, but after writing a piece on the semantics of the term “CSR”, I have come across other situations in which terms that I thought were relatively clear, are in fact completely opaque. My new find? Social enterprise. I know what your thinking. …

What Does Social Enterprise Really Mean? Read More »

The Effects of CSR on Market Capitalization

To what extent do socially and environmentally positive initiatives in the private sector boost a [public] company’s value? And is the downside greater for those that that do not engage in CSR activities or worse flout environmental or social concerns? We know that significant events such as the BP oil spill will go a long …

The Effects of CSR on Market Capitalization Read More »

VisionSpring: A Model TOMS Shoes Would be Wise to Adopt

The world of international development has so many buzzwords floating around, it’s hard to know what is legitimate and what isn’t. Over the past 10 years or so, the phrase “sustainable development” has entered the lexicon and appears here to stay. While there are a number of definitions for the term, ultimately it has to …

VisionSpring: A Model TOMS Shoes Would be Wise to Adopt Read More »

Shell Finally Coming to Terms with Years of Nigerian Oil Spills

Following more than 50 years of oil extraction, corruption, human rights violations and environmental degradation, Shell has admitted responsibility for two large oil spills in 2008 and 2009 in the Niger Delta. This admission will allow those affected to seek damages through the British court system, which gives groups in the Delta, specifically Ogoniland, the …

Shell Finally Coming to Terms with Years of Nigerian Oil Spills Read More »

Motorola Getting Proactive in the Conflict Mineral Debate

I’ve written a number of articles regarding the complexities of “conflict minerals” and the trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (you can find a few here and here). And campaigns undertaken by a number of advocacy groups have really put the issue on the map. So much so that a controversial rider was …

Motorola Getting Proactive in the Conflict Mineral Debate Read More »

So You Want to Become a Social Entrepreneur?

According to the venerable source, Wikipedia (there’s actually a citation from the 2002 book The World of Social Entrepreneurship by J.L. Thompson), social entrepreneurship is defined as, “A social entrepreneur recognizes a social problem and uses entrepreneurial principles to organize, create and manage a venture to achieve social change (a social venture). While a business …

So You Want to Become a Social Entrepreneur? Read More »

Zimbabwe Diamonds and the Kimberley Process: Round Something

For many years now, developing countries bestowed great amounts of natural resources were thought to be on a path to development based on the wealth of these resources, which are prized throughout the West.  Such resources have included oil, minerals, metals and of course diamonds.  However, almost exclusively, this potentially game-changing situation has lead to …

Zimbabwe Diamonds and the Kimberley Process: Round Something Read More »

Does Beer Equate to Development?

A wise man once said, “beer, the cause of and solution to all of life’s problems”. More recently, Center for Global Development (CGD) Senior Fellow, Charles Kenney published an article in Foreign Policy magazine called “Chug for Growth” discussing the role of beer and beer manufacturing in developing countries. Ever since the development profession (for …

Does Beer Equate to Development? Read More »

Indian Real Estate: Housing for the Poor or Another Debt Crisis?

Like other rapidly developing nations, India has a housing problem. The rural-urban migration has overwhelmed cities like Mumbai, where the formally rural poor come to find new opportunity. Often times this migration is one indication of a country’s development. The major issue however is, where do all these people live? Up until now, more often …

Indian Real Estate: Housing for the Poor or Another Debt Crisis? Read More »