One thing you will notice walking the streets of any eastern Chinese city these days is the burgeoning consumer middle class. What might not be initially as evident is whether the Nike, Louis Vuitton or Polo they are sporting is real or counterfeit. According to a recent New York Times Magazine article, “Inside the Knockoff […]
Are Companies Benefiting From the Counterfeit Goods Trade? Read More 👉
The national conversation on local food systems continues to evolve in complexity, intrigue and now, rigor. On the front page of today’s Chicago Tribune is a story about a University of Chicago geophysics professor who is examining the merits — in carbon intensity terms — of local versus conventional farming. Professor Pamela Martin along with
Debunking Locavore Nation: U of C Professor Searches for the Truth — With Data! Read More 👉
The New York Times is reporting that major multinational banks are growing weary of delivering debt to industrial extraction projects, such as mountaintop removal coal mining in West Virginia. The piece looks at a recent policy shift by Wells Fargo in providing financing for coal projects: “In the most recent example, the banking giant Wells
Banks Are Increasingly Doing Environmental Due Dilligence Read More 👉
With corporate hiring returning to a deep freeze and the Dow hanging north of 10,000 by its fingertips, CSR programs focused on eco-efficiencies — LED lighting in…um…the freezer section — remain priorities for the retail market. This is particularly the case when companies open or renovate new facilities. A Sunday Chicago Tribune Business feature by
Retail Corporate Social Responsibility: News From a Jobless Recovery Read More 👉
If you have never had the chance to visit Lake Tahoe, please add it to your top 10 of U.S. sites that are a must see. Lucky to have had a reason to visit this summer, I was shocked by just how blue Lake Tahoe really is! But as it turns out, it’s not as
Green ways to keep Lake Tahoe Blue Read More 👉
In the guest post below, Tom Rooney, President and CEO of SPG Solar, in Novato, California, discusses how conservatives get it wrong on energy because they’re wrong on the costs of energy. by Tom Rooney Conservatives, Â let’s talk about energy. And why so many conservatives are so wrong — so liberal, even — on wind
Why Conservatives Are Bad on Energy: It’s All About the Costs Read More 👉
In a WSJ op/ed entitled “The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility,” University of Michigan strategy professor (Ross School of Management) Aneel Karnani argues that CSR fails when it is not a by-product of profit maximization. Karnani goes deeper to note that there exists a grave fallacy in CSR investment when a business model is not
WSJ: The Illusion of Corporate Social Responsibility Read More 👉
I stumbled upon this image the other day and was grateful for the reminder. We may not always have time to participate in the latest cause or campaign, but we do have one very powerful tool to affect social change… our consumer dollar. How we spend our money speaks volumes about our beliefs and values.
Vote With Your Dollar; It’s That Simple Read More 👉
Last Sunday’s New York Times Week in Review section took a look at burgeoning cage-free regulations for egg-laying hens in California, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, Florida and Maine. Currently only 2% of America’s hens are raised outside of battery cages (8 x 8 inches allotted to each bird;Â 6 birds to a cage). After
Do Cage-Free Eggs Matter? Read More 👉
With the beginning of the Fall 2010 semester right around the corner, I wonder how many new MBA candidates will start the year wearing green? In July I read a post on CSRwire entitled “Will Green MBAs Save the Planet?” by Elaine Cohen which commented on a recent trend in Business Schools. Â Apparently the number
Are We “Green-washing” our MBAs? Read More 👉
While BP has taken a hit financially as a result of the oil spill, mainly due to continuing and impending lawsuits and selling off assets, the company is also getting quite a bit of pro bono help. Who would help BP for free at this point you ask? Well, it turns out that a fair
As the Gulf Clean Up Continues, BP May Have a New Addition to the Payroll Read More 👉
The Obama Administration placed an emphasis on building high-speed and intercity passenger rail to connect communities and economic centers across the country, but will the strategic plan work in the United States?
All talk no track: Where is high-speed rail in the U.S.? Read More 👉
So the US government decided to sneak a rider into the Financial Reform Bill in an attempt to address the issue of conflict minerals coming out of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The goal is to dry up revenue that fuels rebel fighting in the region. As I mentioned in Part I last
Conflict Minerals: The Plot Thickens with the Help of Capitol Hill (Part II) Read More 👉
I’ve been thinking about green claims today. Many companies make green claims about their products, but how often do we stop and ask the question, “Compared to what?” For example, I recently read some data from the United States Postal Service Greenhouse Gas Emissions Survey that had some impressive data. By replacing just two trips
Does Online Shopping Really Improve Your Carbon Footprint? Read More 👉
I recently watched FUEL and thought: Why have I not seen this before??? FUEL is a 2008 documentary on America’s dependence on foreign oil which explored a possible solution to the looming energy crisis. I had three overwhelmingly strong and immediate responses from watching this film. First, we have some extremely intelligent and passionate people
“FUEL” for thought: We all have Responsibilities. Read More 👉
Mining in DRC There has been a whole lot of chatter in recent days about a little provision tucked into the newly adopted Financial Reform Bill. That provision is the Conflict Minerals mandate, which basically states that companies using “columbite-tantalite (coltan), cassiterite, gold, wolframite or their derivatives” (and others at the discretion of the Secretary
Conflict Minerals: The Plot Thickens with the Help of Capitol Hill (Part 1) Read More 👉
In a year where we’ve seen the largest oil spill in American history, the decimation of a tourist economy in the Gulf of Mexico, and oh yeah, and some of the most sweltering temperatures in cities from Chicago to Boston, the Democrats have scrapped any immediate plans to put a price on carbon emissions.
Spineless Dems Abandon Carbon Bill: What Does this Mean for CSR? Read More 👉
The CSR community has been abuzz this week reacting to a recent article in the Washington Post regarding BP’s Corporate Social Responsibility, or lack thereof. In it author Chrystia Freeland purports “many of the business disasters of the past 24 months have been facilitated by the mini-industry of corporate social responsibility,” calling CSR a “fetish
Strategic CSR Basics for Naysayers Read More 👉
When people hear the word “deforestation,” the image that comes to mind is logging. Logging is tied to paper and fiber-based products, which are subsequently labeled forest-killers. That’s some powerful imagery. But is it accurate?
Quick! Define Deforestation! Read More 👉
Apega/WENN Today’s Chicago Tribune business section has a stunning report on the Republic of South Korea’s $25 million plan to reduce energy consumption at some of downtown Chicago’s largest skyscrapers. The operation will focus on retrofitting HVAC and lighting systems in up to 14 buildings. Joining Korea in the agreement are the Building Owners and
Why is Korea Cutting Chicago’s Carbon Emissions? Read More 👉
“Perfect is the enemy of the good.” — Voltaire [Dictionnaire Philosophique — 1764] Yesterday’s news from the Gulf was better than it has been: BP has begun to make consequential strides at plugging the deep-water oil leak. Since the explosion, we’ve seen dramatic responses from the left (no more oil and gas exploration), the right
What The BP Disaster Teaches Us: Natural Gas Matters Read More 👉
In the guest post below, Ronn Torossian, Founder, President and CEO of New York-based 5W Public Relations, discusses Apple’s brand credibility and how the company would survive a potential iPhone 4 recall. by Ronn Torossian Much different than BP, Toyota, Mel Gibson, Tiger Woods and Dell, Apple can better weather negative media and afford a
Why Apple and Its Brand Can Endure a Crisis Read More 👉
Today’s New York Times has a brilliant report on the battle royalle being waged in the hipster-strewn streets of Portland, Oregon over the integrity, meaning and yes, swine-worthiness of local food. According to the Grey Lady, Portland chef Eric Bechard (top) dropped his gloves outside a bar after confronting an outsider chef (oh, the horror)
When Local Meets Provincial (e.g. Short-sighted) Read More 👉
This week, Greenpeace released a new report “How Sinar Mas Is Pulping the Planet.” The conclusions were highly critical of Asia Pulp & Paper, one of the largest vertically integrated pulp and paper companies in the world. According to Greenpeace, APP is gobbling up tropical forest for fiber production, lying about its intentions to scale
Greenpeace and Asia Pulp & Paper Duke It Out Over Greenpeace Report Read More 👉
