The Sustainability Learning Forum

International Peer Review to focus on Germany’s Sustainable Development Policy – Initial Decisions now taken

German Council for Sustainable Development

The Federal Government has officially requested the drawing up of a second international peer review of its sustainable development policy. In keeping with the 2012 progress report on the National Sustainable Development Strategy, the respective invitations have been issued to internationally recognized experts. more[...]

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Developing countries exchange ISO 26000 experience at ISO workshop

International Organization for Standardization

A two-day workshop on the experience of developing countries in implementing and promoting the ISO 26000 guidance standard on social responsibility opened on 5 November 2012, in Geneva, Switzerland. Some 120 participants from about 70 countries are exchanging their experience on ISO 26000:2010, Guidance on social responsibility. The workshop is organized by the Development and Training Services of ISO. more[...] login_required

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Conflict Minerals and SEC Disclosure Regulation

Prof. Celia Taylor, University of Denver Sturm College of Law

Mention the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (“Dodd-Frank” or the “Act”),[1] and most people think of legislation aimed at “fundamental reform of the financial system”[2] focused on regulation of Wall Street practices and complex financial products. But tucked within the voluminous text of the Act (which consists of 2,300 pages and stipulates the passage of 387 rules by 20 different agencies[3]) is a provision having nothing to do with these issues or anything remotely related to them. Instead the “conflict minerals” provision of the Act requires companies that are subject to the reporting requirement of the federal securities laws to disclose whether they manufacture products using so-called “conflict minerals” sourced from the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”) or contiguous countries.[4] more[...]

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Blood on your mobile phone? Capturing the gains for artisanal miners, poor workers and women

Dr. Dev Nathan, Institute for Human Development

Capturing the Gains research into the global production of mobile phones traces the connections between armed factions, poverty and violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and mobile phone users worldwide. The critical link is coltan, or columbite tantalite. It is the raw material for tantalum, an essential mineral in the manufacture of mobile phones, computers and other electronic equipment. more[...] login_required

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Gold is now the Most Lucrative Conflict Mineral from Eastern Congo

Enough Project

Gold smuggled from eastern Congo’s war zone is now the most lucrative conflict mineral and is ending up at jewelry stores and banks, according to a new investigative report by the Enough Project. The study found that following a 65 percent drop in profits from the conflict minerals tin, tungsten, and tantalum, armed groups have increasingly turned to smuggling the fourth conflict mineral, gold, to generate income that finances mass atrocities in eastern Congo. The armed groups use poorly paid miners, who work in dangerous conditions, including thousands of children as young as eight years old. The study maps out how conflict gold makes its way from eastern Congo to consumers worldwide who purchase it in the form of wedding rings and watches, and investment banks that buy gold bars. more[...] login_required

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From Child Miner to Jewelry Store

Enough Project

This is the first of two papers on the illegal conflict-gold trade from eastern Congo that is fueling one of the most violent conflicts in the world. This paper tracks the transnational trade from mines in eastern Congo to consumers. The second paper will map a way to resolve this problem by setting out recommendations to formalize the trade, cut down conflict-gold smuggling, and create jobs to provide living wages to Congolese miners. more[...] login_required

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PEDL

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Global Shell Games: Testing money Launderers and Terrorists Financiers Access to Shell Companies

PEDL

For criminals moving large sums of dirty money internationally, there is no better device than an untraceable shell company. This paper reports the results of an experiment soliciting offers for these prohibited anonymous shell Corporations. The research team impersonated a variety of low- and high-risk customers, including would-be Money launderers, corrupt officials, and terrorist financiers when requesting the anonymous companies. Evidence is drawn from more than 7,400 email solicitations to more than 3,700 Corporate Service Providers that make and sell shell companies in 182 countries. more[...] login_required

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CSR and responsible reporting: PRACTICES of EUROPEAN BANKS and INSURANCE COMPANIES

Novethic

Novethic conducted this study to assess the quality of CSR reporting of the largest European banks and insurance companies. By comparing the type of information provided by these key economic players on the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) aspects of their businesses, we can see how they are reacting to the scrutiny. more[...] login_required

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Global Witness condemns API lawsuit to strike down Dodd-Frank oil, gas and mining transparency provision

Global Witness is outraged by a lawsuit filed by the American Petroleum Institute (API), the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others to gut Section 1504, an important anti-corruption provision of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. (1) By seeking to nullify this provision, API, whose members include BP, Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell, and other industry groups are demonstrating that they have something to hide. Any claims by API that they support transparency efforts are preposterous when they are not only trying to weaken the rules but to strike Section 1504 in its entirety. more[...] login_required

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Riseability

Berkay Orhaner, Yüksel Holding
Yüksel Holding A.S.

Yüksel has been one of the major contractor companies in the region around Turkey for almost 50 years. As a group of companies, Yüksel is also a pioneer in terms of its efforts toward sustainability. Following in the spirit of RiseAbility –Yüksel’s concept of sustainability – Yüksel was the first company in the region to publish a GRI-based sustainability report in its sector. Yüksel also became the first company in its sector to publish an ethical code of conduct and to measure its carbon footprint. What reshaped Yüksel’s CSR vision and changed it from a quality-oriented philanthropic company to an exemplary corporate citizen about sustainability was Yüksel’s participation in the UN Global Compact in 2006. more[...] login_required

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Social dialogue needed to prevent further violence in SA mines, says ILO

As an inquiry begins into the fatal August shooting of dozens of striking miners in South Africa, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has called for high-level social dialogue in order to prevent further violence and unrest. more[...] login_required

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Corporate Social Responsibility in China: Outlook and Challenges

Dr. Susan Scarlata, Weber Shandwick & Others

I spent the last two years in Hong Kong where I consulted on Corporate Social Responsibility communications projects for various organizations in Hong Kong and mainland China. What is the current state of Corporate Responsibility there? The short answer is that Chinese companies realize they have greater responsibilities as their presence on the global playing field grows. Leaders of Chinese companies and officials of the People’s Republic of China are aware of the need to expand their corporate responsibility efforts. more[...]

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Reimagining Sustainability and Success

Carol Sanford, InterOctave Global

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New report underlines sustainability benefits of using forest products

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)

Facts and Trends: Forests, forest products, carbon & energy is a new report developed by the WBCSD Forest Solutions Group and NCASI. The report is highlighting the key role forests and forest products play in furthering sustainable solutions in a resource constrained world. It also underlines their necessity for a future low-carbon and bio-based economy, as they can help to reduce society’s greenhouse gas emissions. more[...]

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