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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 […] More
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Worker Treatment at Nike Twenty Years Later
In the early 1990’s Nike was unwittingly responsible for bringing factory worker treatment and supply chain issues to the forefront. This was of course many years before the “CSR movement” gained a foothold within corporate operations. And while I would not go as far as to say that it gave birth to the modern CSR […] More
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Wal-Mart Enters Africa
Although Wal-Mart has had a checkered past when it comes to entering foreign markets, a deal was announced at the end of May that the company has purchased a majority stake in the South African company, Massmart. While the $2.4 billion investment doesn’t raise too many eyebrows considering the company has a market cap north […] More
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Can Apple Become as Innovative in Supply Chain Regulation as They Have in Product Development?
Everyone’s familiar with the news that Steve Jobs has recently stepped away from Apple again (possibly for good this time) due to health concerns. Whether this is permanent or not, the future is not far off when Apple will have to continue without Jobs. I have little doubt in mind that they will not find […] More
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Got Green? Flaunt It!
Last week, I blogged about some of the latest research showing that marketers are missing the opportunity to share their green stories with customers who want to hear it. Customers want to hear your green story. Research shows that when marketers share their green commitments, it increases customers’ favorable feelings toward the company, strengthens customer […] More
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Wal-Mart Gets Healthier and Prices Stay the Same
(Note: Unbeknownst to me, my colleague Lane Jost and I both produced articles on Wal-Mart this morning. I have decided to publish mine as well because I believe the two compliment each other well and hey, like Coke and Pepsi, there is room for similar products in the market place) Wal-Mart confuses me. It seems […] More
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Investment Recovery: What It Is and How It Contributes to Corporate Sustainability
In the guest post below, Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company, discusses how investment recovery contributes to corporate sustainability. A key component of business sustainability is asset disposition, or investment recovery. Investment recovery is the practice of recouping the value of assets no longer needed by a company by identifying and reusing […] More
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The Business Sustainability Option Period is Expiring
In the guest post below, Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company, discusses how different stakeholders do not consider sustainability as optional. There is at least one point in the history of any company when you have to change dramatically to rise to the next level of performance. Miss that moment – and […] More
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Systems Thinking for a Green Supply Chain
In the guest post below, Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company, discusses how companies can “green” their supply chain through a” systems thinking” approach. by Julie Urlaub In today’s global business environment, it is extremely rare for a company to own an entire product or service value chain. Business operations now rely […] More
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The Push to Standardize CSR Metrics Continues
It’s unlikely that anyone’s ever cited the UN as a first mover or an organization that leads the way in international policy, but one cannot deny it’s clout. Just last week UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) presented the Investment and Enterprise Responsibility Review at the World Investment Forum in Xiamen, China. The […] More
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REI Releases 2009 Stewardship Report
Recreational Equipment, Inc (REI) released its fourth annual stewardship report or CSR report earlier this week. The report is divided into three sections: Environment, Community and People. The Environment section highlights progress against REI’s five environmental target areas, which include reducing greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable paper usage, reducing waste and optimizing recycling, green building and […] More
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Wal-Mart and China: Will Sustainability Commitments Produce Results?
If Wal-Mart is ever going to achieve the status of a company truly committed to sustainable business practices, there’s one 800-pound gorilla that it must address: China. The company’s sustainability summit on October 21 and 22 in Beijing was an attempt to do that, both from a PR perspective, but also in terms of “laying […] More