Tough economic times are putting a strain on the European Union these days. Recent reports out of Berlin have German chancellor Angela Merkel calling for a stronger political union in Europe to overcome the bloc’s debt crisis, which she called “maybe Europe’s most difficult hours since World War II.”

Amid the financial struggles, the executive body of the European Union, the European Commission, recently published a new policy on corporate social responsibility that recognizes the role that CSR or corporate citizenship can play in an economic recovery. In explaining Read the rest of this entry »

Four weeks is both a very long time and a blip when your world flips upside down. In May of this year, four of us from FedEx joined a team from IBM in Salvador, the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil. With the support of IBM and CDC Development Solutions, an organization that designs and manages international corporate volunteerism programs for companies such as FedEx and IBM, we tested the concept of an International Corporate Volunteer program for developing FedEx’s future leaders and determined the best approach was to launch a similar program. For me, it was the experience of a lifetime – to live and enjoy the unique culture of the area, to work with passionate people on their mission to raise people out of poverty, and to interact with some of the great talent within IBM and FedEx. And the self-awareness that came with it has truly changed me in ways both deep and permanent. Read the rest of this entry »

Center member Tyco International has found a way to fully utilize its people, products, services, and funding support in a new philanthropic global partnership with Action Against Hunger / ACF International. Together they have formed the Clean Water Access Initiative, which will bring safe drinking water to some of the most vulnerable communities around the world. Read the rest of this entry »

Center member Abbott Laboratories made news recently, earning well-deserved praise in a Fast Company story on its work with Partners in Health to fight malnutrition in Haiti.

“All too often, corporate philanthropy involves dropping a wad of money on organizations that are doing work on an issue that the corporation ‘cares’ about, and then saying goodbye,” wrote Fast Company Assistant Editor Ariel Schwartz. “But sometimes, corporations actually bring their know-how and human capital to bear on a problem, in addition to just giving money. The global pharmaceutical company Abbott is taking the second path, focusing on long-lasting initiatives that can grow local economies in struggling areas. Case in point: Abbott’s work to combat severe malnutrition in Haiti.” Read the rest of this entry »

As the public comment period approaches for the new generation of Global Reporting Initiative guidelines, or G4, the GRI is garnering increased attention from the investment world. Two recent stories – in the National Association of Corporate Directors Directorship magazine and the NYSE magazine – highlighted efforts by the GRI to promote corporate sustainability reporting.

The NYSE magazine reports on GRI Chief Executive Ernst Ligteringen’s speech before more than 200 sustainability professionals at the NYSE in January at the kickoff of GRI’s Focal Point USA, which aims to encourage more U.S. companies to get on board. And a story in the most recent issue of NACD Directorship magazine headlined “Investors Seek Focus on Non-financial Issues”, cites GRI efforts to expand reporting by U.S. companies as the number of shareholder resolutions on social and environmental issues grows. Read the rest of this entry »

A growing number of companies around the world are reporting non-financial (social, environmental and governance) information. To discuss emerging trends, challenges and opportunities of non-financial reporting, the Carroll School of Management Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College hosted a one-day symposium under the auspices of the Global Education Research Network (GERN). Prominent experts from around the world shared their views and perspectives on the importance and future development of nonfinancial reporting. Read the rest of this entry »

A group of corporate citizenship professionals and academics from around the world gathered at the Carroll School of Management recently for a symposium sponsored by UPS, “Forecasting the Future: Non-financial Reporting for Global Companies.”

The Global Education Research Network symposium hosted by the Center for Corporate Citizenship opened with a panel titled “Looking at the Big Picture of Non-Financial Reporting.” Moderator Brad Googins, associate professor at the Carroll School, was joined by Steve Lydenberg, partner, Strategic Vision, Domini Social Investing, and Michael Sadowski, vice president, SustainAbility Inc. Googins asked the pair of experts to roll out a crystal ball and give their take on where CSR reporting is headed. Read the rest of this entry »

While I have always been concerned about fresh water quality and availability, it wasn’t until I attended a recent Boston College symposium, “Sustainability: Through the Lens of Water,” that the reality really hit me: just 0.3 percent of the water on Earth is actually potable and, furthermore, while world population continues to grow (possibly reaching 28 billion people in 60 years), the available fresh water is expected to decline as demand increases and contamination affects remaining water sources. Of the 6.8 billion people on the planet today, 2.6 billion lack sanitation and 1.1 billion have no access to treated drinking water. Moreover, 1.6 million people die each year of diarrhea-related diseases, 90 percent of whom are children.

While the United Nations has officially declared water as one of the basic human rights, we still lack effective policies to protect this valuable resource for both people and companies. We have too many policies and regulations Read the rest of this entry »