The Sustainability Learning Forum

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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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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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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Brand Distinction Through Strategic Philanthropy

Anne Wall, Marketing Navigators Inc

Build brand distinction through strategic philanthropy. Through this article, find out how focused brand philanthropy can benefit your business and society. You will learn new ways to use corporate contributions to connect emotionally with stakeholders. At the same time, your corporate giving will help people in need. more[...] login_required

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Managing CSR Within the Supply Network

Jeffrey Revels, TMS Group
TMS Group

The TMS Group continues to expand and enhance both its inherent responsibility in corporate social responsibility and that of all our external supply chain partners. This is a daunting task for an organization that continues to establish itself as one of the premier sourcing organizations for apparel and fashion accessories in Asia. This includes a company structure of operations and sales offices in the United States, Hong Kong, China, India, Bangladesh, and Indonesia. The TMS Group’s extended supply network supports and services a global customer base, marketing products on five continents and in more than 45 countries – in virtually every corner of the globe. more[...]

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Promoing Sustainability among our Suppliers

Sevda Latapie-Bayro, Carrefour
Carrefour Group

In accordance with its sustainable development approach and its commitment to the Global Compact Principles regarding environment, Carrefour has created a self-assessment tool to support its suppliers implementing sustainable development practices. Adapted to small and medium-sized enterprises, this tool covers all the areas of a company activity, covering environmental and social issues. more[...] login_required

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Operating in compliance with ethical principles

Francesca Carnesella, Camposol and Copeinca
Camposol

CAMPOSOL is an agro-industrial company involved in the sowing, harvesting, processing, and export of asparagus, avocados, piquillo peppers, mangoes, and grapes. These products are sold fresh, frozen, or preserved in jars or cans. The company understands that Corporate Social Responsibility is a practice performed by those organizations that decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and to an environment that is suitable for future generations. Along this line, CAMPOSOL initiated a process to formalize its sustainable development strategy in 2008. more[...] login_required

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Implementing UNGC Principles in our CSR

Francesca Carnesella, Camposol and Copeinca
Copeinca

COPEINCA was the first Peruvian fishing company to publish an audited Sustainability Report in 2005. The company strongly believes that to guarantee business sustainability, there is an indispensable requirement in assuring that the ethical principle of respecting persons and the environment should be fulfilled by acting in accordance with the social responsibility guidelines of our organization as well as the Principles of the Global Compact. more[...] login_required

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Biological Control in Agriculture

Francesca Carnesella, Camposol and Copeinca
Camposol

CAMPOSOL is a leading company in crop treatment and is an extremely important base for the development of quality products that are completely safe and can be successfully exported to international markets. more[...] login_required

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