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Shareholder Activism / Global accountability


NEWS STORY: SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | SUPPLY CHAINS
Human Rights Most Important Issue in Corporate Supply Chains
Ethical Corporation reports on the results of its survey of corporations and other stakeholders, addressing risk and opportunity in corporate supply chains.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | SHAREOWNER ACTION
After the Conventions
While it seems implausible that investors concerned with environmental and social justice will vote for Donald Trump, some of the positions take by Hillary Clinton during her years of public service merit scrutiny.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Oil Industry Payments to Governments Still Lack Transparency
Five years after passage of Dodd-Frank, a report by Oxfam America finds that payments by the US industry to developing nations lack the transparency to ensure that governments are using them for the benefit of citizens.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | EMERGING MARKETS
Two Years After Tragedy, Fund for Rana Plaza Victims Meets Goal
Pressure from members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility helps further corporate responsibility in the remediation of human rights violations.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | EMERGING MARKETS
Verite to Assess Trafficking Risks in Sub-Saharan Africa
With economies improving and ample natural resources, the region is at heightened risk for human trafficking violations.

NEWS STORY: SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Report Assesses Corporate Conflict Minerals Disclosures
The Responsible Sourcing Network analyzes the quality of more that 1,000 conflict minerals disclosures by large cap corporations, and find that many fulfilled only minimal requirements.

INTERVIEW: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
At Yale, John Fullerton Presents on Regenerative Capitalism
Speaking to the generation that will have to reverse the course of multiple crises, the founder of the Capital Institute envisions a holistic organization of social systems to replace the current reductionist and competitive approach. Third of a three-part series.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Regenerative Capitalism Seeks Radical Overhaul of Financial System
John Fullerton, the founder of the Capital Institute, writes that the transition of an “antisocial” global financial system to one aligned with our understanding that “living systems are both sustainable and regenerative” is underway. But is the evolution decisive enough to solve the crises of our age? Second of a three-part series.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Is Regenerative Capitalism a Spiritual Quest?
John Fullerton of the Capital Institute authors an admirable paper on what he calls Regenerative Capitalism, but how do we get from the here of exploitation to there? First of a three-part series.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | EMERGING MARKETS
Two Years after Rana Plaza Tragedy, Investors Still Seek Corporate Assurances
A coalition of institutional investors asserts that the systemic changes needed to safeguard garment workers in Bangladesh remain insufficiently financed, even by signatories to the Fire and Safety Accord.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | FOOD INDUSTRY
Corporate Responsibility for Farm Animal Welfare Benchmarked
Business Benchmark on Farm Animal Welfare aspires to improve living conditions for animals raised for food by benchmarking corporate performance on farm animal welfare.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | SHAREOWNER ACTION
ICCR Publishes 2015 Proxy Resolutions and Voting Guide
Climate change and wealth inequality lead members of the the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility to increase for the third year in a row the number of shareowner resolutions filed. Second of a two-part series.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | STOCK INDEXES
Bank of America Delisted from Leading Sustainability Index
The bank, which had been listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes despite its leading role in financing coal projects, is delisted in 2014, but questions remain over some of the Index's industry sector leaders and other constituents.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING
Corporate Reporting and Materiality
A report by the Governance & Accountability Institute assesses the materiality of key indicators in reporting to the Global Reporting Initiative by more than 1,000 corporations in 2012.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Activist Shareowners Make Their Way to Texas to Confront Chevron
Simon Billenness of the Unitarian Universalist Association talks with SocialFunds.com about Chevron's ongoing legal quagmire in Ecuador and his efforts to have the oil and gas company appoint an independent Chair.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Third National Climate Assessment Published
In its new report, the US Global Change Research Program asserts that the effects of climate change have already become a present day concern, and announces the launch of a website to help Americans receive reliable scientific information.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Corporations Lagging in Sustainability Efforts
In a follow-up to their 2012 report on corporate sustainability, Ceres and Sustainalytics reiterate that major US corporations are failing to keep pace with urgent environmental and social challenges.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | APPAREL INDUSTRY
Investors Mark Anniversary of Rana Plaza Tragedy
A coalition of institutional investors organized by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility issue a statement calling on apparel brands and retailers to ensure that the human rights of workers in supply chains are being honored.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY ENDOWMENTS
Harvard Joins Principles for Responsible Investment
Harvard's endowment is the first in the United States to join the global network of sustainable investors; the university also announces it will report its greenhouse gas emissions to the CDP.

NEWS STORY: SOCIAL ISSUES | CORPORATE REPORTING | EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES
Tullow Oil Expands Disclosure of Payments to Governments
The voluntary disclosure of payments on a project level is the first by an oil and gas company, and comes while the American Petroleum Institute seeks to weaken a proposed Securities and Exchange Commission rule on payments to governments.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | SHAREOWNER ACTION | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
ICCR Publishes 2014 Proxy Resolutions and Voting Guide
The number of shareowner resolutions addressing environmental health filed by members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility in 2014 increases sharply over 2013, reflecting the urgency of action on climate change.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | FOOD INDUSTRY
No More Gestation Crates, Tyson Foods Tells Farmers
Green Century Capital Management and co-filers withdraw shareowner resolution after world's largest meat processor asks contract farmers to improve housing standards for pigs.

NEWS STORY: BOOK REVIEW | SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Book Review: Engaging Outraged Stakeholders
The three authors, who are executives with the nonprofit organization Future 500, counsel for a dispassionate approach to problem solving when corporations and civil society organizations meet.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS
At-Risk Industries Urged to Address Human Trafficking in Supply Chains
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility announces that members will engage with companies in the food-agricultural and hospitality sectors to ensure that human rights in supply chains are being met.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
US Banks Rank Poorly on Indicators of Concern to Sustainable Investors
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility and Sustainalytics rate seven major US banks on four key performance indicators relating to sustainability and corporate responsibility, finding significant room for improvement.

INTERVIEW: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIIRONMENTAL ISSUES | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Shareowners Opt for Engagement to Press Chevron on Corporate Governance
Shareowner advocate Simon Billenness updates SocialFunds.com on judgment against Chevron in Ecuador, and explains why engagement with fossil fuel companies is more effective than divestment.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
The State of Shareowner Engagement in Europe
Eurosif reports on investor engagement with corporations in Europe and finds that engagement on environmental, social, and corporate governance issues is steadily increasing.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | MUTUAL FUNDS
Mutual Fund Challenged over Proxy Voting on ESG Issues
Zevin Asset Management files a shareowner resolution at Franklin Resources, requesting that the mutual fund company report on proxy voting policies relating to environmental and social issues.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Chevron Drops Damage Claims Against Ecuadorians
The oil company also requests that Judge Lewis Kaplan and not a jury decide its RICO lawsuit, and that defendants be barred from introducing evidence of environmental destruction in Ecuador.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Genocide-Free Shareowner Proposal Gains Strong Support at Fidelity Investments
Investors Against Genocide continues its campaign to pressure mutual funds and other financial institutions into adopting genocide-free investment policies.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Chevron Continues to Misrepresent Ecuador Judgment, Updated Report Says
Attorney Graham Erion updates his 2012 report on misrepresentations made by Chevron to investors regarding the $19 billion judgment against it for environmental destruction in Ecuador.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Investors Call on Corporations to Ensure Worker Safety in Bangladesh
Two coalitions of investors pressure clothing retailers to join the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, whose 40 signatories include only two companies headquartered in the US.

NEWS BRIEF: SOCIAL ISSUES | CORPORATE REPORTING | EXTRACTIVES INDUSTRIES
EU Mandates Disclosure of Payments to Governments
Transparency International says that with the European mandate joining rules enacted by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the US, 90% of companies in the extractives industries will be required to disclose payments to governments.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
End in Sight for Too Big to Fail?
Senators Sherrod Brown and Bernie Sanders each pursue legislative initiatives to end the economic advantages of the nation's largest banks and force them to break up.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING
As You Sow Publishes 2013 Proxy Preview
Political spending resolutions account for one-third of those filed this year's, while two first-time resolutions request that companies in the fossil fuel industries report on the financial impact of stranded assets.

NEWS STORY: SOCIAL ISSUES | CORPORATE REPORTING | HUMAN RIGHTS
Investors Highlight Human Rights in Corporate Engagement
A new report builds upon the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights to provide investors with tools for assessing the human rights performance of companies.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS
Divestment can be a Fiduciary Duty
Adam Kanzer of Domini Social Investments that divestment of holdings in firearms manufacturers is an appropriate response to tragedies such as the killing of children in Newtown.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES
Statoil Breaks with Trade Association over Lawsuit
Calvert Investments commends Statoil for explicitly distancing itself from lawsuit filed by the American Petroleum Institute that contests SEC regulation governing payments to governments.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING
ICCR Publishes 2013 Proxy Resolutions and Voting Guide
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility reports that its members have filed 180 shareowner resolutions and engaged in 225 corporate dialogues this proxy season.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING | HUMAN RIGHTS
Many Industry Sectors Unprepared for Conflict Minerals Rule
A report from the Responsible Sourcing Network finds that leading companies in the information and communications industry have undertaken initiatives to ensure that their supply chains are free of conflict minerals, but few other industry sectors have done so.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Briefs Supporting SEC Filed in Lawsuit Challenging Transparency Rules for Extractives
Oxfam America and members of Congress argue that a rule mandating disclosure of payments to governments will contribute to stability and help investors make informed decisions.

NEWS STORY: COMMUNITY INVESTMENT | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Feds Hand Foreclosure Relief over to Banks
The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve Board reach an agreement with ten mortgage servicers that will end the Independent Foreclosure Review and instead provide $3.3 billion in direct payments to eligible borrowers.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Non-Violent Protest or Terrorist Threat?
FBI documents obtained by the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund reveal that coordination between the Bureau, the Department of Homeland Security, and the financial sector began even before the first demonstrations by the Occupy movement.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | MUTUAL FUNDS
Top Sustainable Investment Stories of 2012, Part 1
Assets allocated to sustainable investment continue to rise, with increasing amounts focusing on positive screening strategies; however, mainstream mutual funds continue to lag in supporting shareowner resolutions addressing climate change and corporate political spending.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | WEAPONS MANUFACTURERS
Newtown Tragedy Galvanizes Debate on Corporate Responsibility
The UN-endorsed Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights recommends that companies address adverse impacts with which they are involved, and Robert Zevin of Zevin Asset Management reminds investors of their historic role in effecting social change.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES
CEOs Want a Deficit Reduction Plan that Benefits Them
Eighty corporate CEOs join the Fix the Debt campaign, which calls for increased tax breaks for corporations while limiting social programs that help the poor and middle class.

NEWS BRIEF: SOCIAL ISSUES | CORPORATE REPORTING | EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES
SEC Refuses to Delay Extractives Transparency Rule
The Commission tells industry trade association that rule governing disclosure of payments to governments will be implemented as scheduled, despite pending lawsuit challenging its validity.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | SHAREOWNER ACTION
For Sustainable Investors, Obama or Romney?
The candidates differ markedly on climate change, financial reform, and health care, issues on which sustainable investors have engaged with corporations for many years.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Senate Republicans Quash Findings on Wealth Inequality
After the Congressional Research Service issues a report finding no correlation between economic growth and lower tax rates for the wealthiest, Senate Republicans force its withdrawal to protect the party orthodoxy on taxes.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Court in Ecuador Approves Seizure of Chevron Assets
Chevron says it will appeal decision clearing the way for seizure of $200 million of assets in Ecuador as payment toward a $19 billion judgment for environmental damage in the country.

NEWS BRIEF: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | CARBON MANAGEMENT | EMERGING MARKETS
Resources Insufficient to Protect World's Poorest from Climate Change
The Climate Vulnerability Monitor warns that 100 million lives could be lost by 2030 if climate change and carbon-intensive energy practices are not addressed.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | EMERGING MARKETS
Assets Committed to Emerging Markets on the Increase
A new survey by EIRIS suggests that while sustainable stock exchanges increase investor confidence in emerging markets investment, poor corporate attention to environmental, social, and corporate governance issues remains a barrier.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
$18 Billion Judgment Against Chevron Stands
The US Supreme Court declines to hear Chevron's arguments for overturning the largest environmental judgment in history, leaving the company vulnerable to charges of securities law violations.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Growth of Sustainable Investment in Europe Continues to Outpace the Overall Market
In its fifth biennial survey of sustainable investment in Europe, Eurosif identifies norms-based screening as the fastest-growing strategy, and urges improved communications to encourage greater uptake of sustainable investment by retail investors.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Bank of America Settles Shareowner Lawsuit for $2.43 billion
The bank's 2008 acquisition of Merrill Lynch $20 billion preceded disclosure of $27.6 billion in losses, and led to lawsuit by pension funds charging the bank with making false or misleading statements.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS
As Burma Sanctions Ease, Human Rights Advocates Urge Caution
Shareowner advocate Simon Billenness is preparing a draft of guidelines for corporations seeking to do business in Burma, and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Daw Aung San Suu Kyi urges corporate transparency to ensure that human rights are honored.

NEWS BRIEF: SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | EXTRACTIVES INDUSTRIES
Extractives Commitment to Human Rights Improving
But research from Oxfam America indicates that policies supporting Free, Prior, and Informed Consent must include a transition from resource extraction to development partnerships.

NEWS STORY: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Shell Says Oil Spills from Corroded Pipes in Nigeria Due to Sabotage
Amnesty International and the Center for Environment, Human Rights and Development cite the assessment of experts that the latest in a series of oil spills in the Niger Delta was due to corrosion in poorly-maintained pipes owned by Shell.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Occupy Movement Celebrates First Anniversary
Despite efforts to marginalize its accomplishments, the Occupy Movement has succeeded in keeping the issue of wealth inequality in the forefront of the national consciousness.

INTERVIEW: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING
Is Corporate Reporting Sufficient to Meet Sustainability Goals?
Mark McElroy of the Center for Sustainable Organizations argues that the absence of context for corporate sustainability measurements increases the likelihood that meaningful goals will not be met.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Opinions Differ on the Future of Sustainable Investing
Industry veterans weigh in on likely developments over the next twenty years, and their opinions range from optimism to concern.

NEWS BRIEF: SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Lawsuit Alleging Human Rights Violations by Shell in Nigeria Reaches SCOTUS
In an issues brief, Professor John Ruggie wonders if Shell's efforts to undermine the Alien Tort Statute will undermine its claims of corporate social responsibility.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | INSTITUTIONA INVESTORS
Muhammad Yunus, Father of Microcredit and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient, to Address SRI Conference
The founder of the Grameen Bank will be the keynote speaker at October's SRI Conference on Sustainable, Responsible, Impact Investing, which will also feature author Deepak Chopra and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Second of a two-part series.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ENGAGEMENT | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
PRI Signatories Prioritize ESG Issues for Engagement
A survey of frequent users of the PRI Clearinghouse indicates that executive compensation, climate change, and labor standards in corporate supply chains will be the top areas of engagement for institutional investors during the coming year.

NEWS BRIEF: SOCIAL ISSUES | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | CORPORATE SUPPLY CHAINS
Labor Conditions Improving at Chinese Supplier to Apple
The Fair Labor Association reports that Foxconn Technology Group, Apple's largest supplier, is ahead of schedule in meeting commitments such as higher wages and less mandatory overtime.

NEWS STORY: SOCIAL ISSUES | CORPORATE REPORTING | EXTRACTIVE INDUSTRIES
SEC Issues Rules on Conflict Minerals and Payments to Governments
Responses by sustainable investors and other stakeholders to payments to governments in resource-rich countries is generally positive, but concerns are voiced over provisions in the conflict minerals regulation. Second of a two-part series.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
A Strategy for the Commons that Includes Business and Government
As national governments persist in pursuing narrow agendas rather than global action on climate change and sustainable development, other key stakeholders are recognizing that they must pressure corporations and governments into dialogue on the issues.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION
Pension Fund Wants Wal-Mart to Come Clean on Bribery Allegations
After receiving documents relating to allegations of bribery by the retail giant's Mexican subsidiary, the Indiana Electrical Workers Pension Trust Fund charges in a lawsuit that nearly half of the pages were blacked out.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Goldman Sachs Escapes Criminal Charges
Despite evidence of conflicts of interest detailed in last year's report by the Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the Justice Department announces that it will not bring a criminal prosecution against the bank.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Concerns Voiced over Easing Burma Investment
An executive order lifting ban on investment in Burma allows US companies to enter the country's energy sector, raising concerns over lack of transparency and ties to the military.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE REPORTING | STOCK EXCHANGES
NASDAQ to Promote Sustainability Disclosure
At Rio+20, the US-based stock exchange joins four counterparts in encouraging corporations to disclose environmental, social, and governance risks and opportunities.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Proxy Season Results Support Mainstreaming of ESG
This year's shareowner resolution tracker from Ceres notes that almost half of the environmental and social resolutions coordinated by the organization were withdrawn after successful engagement with companies. First of a two-part series.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY | PRODUCT SAFETY
Congressional Friends of GMOs Sneak Rider into Appropriations Bill
The rider will require that a permit for planting genetically engineered crops be issued even if a federal court orders that the planting be halted.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRY | PRODUCT SAFETY
Genetic Engineers Debunk GMO Claims
A report by Earth Open Source reveals that the claims of product safety and sufficient regulation made by producers of genetically modified organisms are false.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
A Guide to Economics for the 99%
The Center for Popular Economics publishes Economics for the 99%, a handbook which describes the roots of economic inequality and offers a solidarity economy as an alternative.

BOOK REVIEW: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Book Review: Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power, by Steve Coll
In a well-researched investigation into the inner workings of one of the world's largest and most powerful corporations, author Steve Coll details ExxonMobil's efforts to discredit climate science and extract resources in countries ruled by autocrats.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING |
More Stakeholders Call for Meaningful Action at Rio+20
The International Institute for Environment and Development outlines a three-point plan to ensure that government negotiators account for the needs of local communities through sufficient aid and realistic valuation of natural capital.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
ICCR Responds to Vatican Investigation of US Nuns
The all-male Church hierarchy apparently wants less social justice work by women religious in the US, and more outspoken opposition to homosexuality, abortion, and women's ordination.

NEWS STORY: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | CARBON MANAGEMENT | EMERGING MARKETS
UNDP Reports on Outlook for Sustainable Development in Asia-Pacific
Exploring both widespread poverty and the impacts of climate change on the region, the report warns that the private sector and other stakeholders must act in order to galvanize government action.

NEWS BRIEF: SOCIAL ISSUES | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION
Wal-Mart Gets ESG Rating of F After Bribery Allegations
GovernanceMetrics International assigns a failing grade to the retail giant's environmental, social, and corporate governance performance following revelations that information about a bribery scandal in Mexico was covered up.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | MINING INDUSTRY
Investors Challenge Goldcorp's Closing Costs for Guatemala Mine
Two institutional investors warn that Goldcorp faces litigation risks if its plan for funding the environmental cleanup of its mine in Guatemala is inadequate.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
JPMorgan Chase Faces Investing in Genocide Resolution
For the second year, Investors Against Genocide submits shareowner proposal addressing JPMorgan Chase's extensive holdings in PetroChina, a corporate contributor to genocide in Sudan.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT
Companies Advised to Address Risks in Supply Chains
A Procurement Report from Eurosif establishes the business case for addressing environmental and social risks in corporate supply chains, and recommends that investors assess the exposure of companies in their portfolios.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
Listen to Investors, Ernst & Young Tells Corporate Boards
A white paper from the consulting firm anticipates that shareowner support for environmental and social resolutions will continue to grow, and that boards should take concrete steps to ensure that the perspectives of investors are considered.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE REPORTING | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Academics Propose Agency to Regulate Financial Products
Eric Posner and Glen Weyl of the University of Chicago state that a Financial Products Administration would be the Food and Drug Administration of financial derivatives.

NEWS STORY: SOCIAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Apple Moves from Laggard to Sector Leader on Transparency
The computer giant agrees to implement remedial action recommended by the Fair Labor Association's investigation of working conditions at Foxconn factories in China.

INTERVIEW: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
Occupy Movement Focuses on Volcker Rule
Financial professionals form the Occupy the SEC movement and submit a 325-page comment letter to the SEC, calling for effective regulation of proprietary trading by banks.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING
As You Sow Publishes Proxy Preview
The report notes an exponential increase in resolutions addressing the various forms of corporate political spending, while the community impacts of hydraulic fracturing and financial risks associated with coal lead environmental resolutions.

INTERVIEW: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | CORPORATE REPORTING
Zevin Asset Management Grows into a Corporate Engagement Powerhouse
The Boston-based investment manager, with $335 million in assets under management, has co-filed 14 shareowner resolutions for the 2012 proxy season.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING | HUMAN RIGHTS | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Investors Write to Chevron on Country Selection
Following an unproductive meeting with Chevron on its operations in Burma, shareowners make public a letter in which they request transparency in the company's country selection criteria.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Generation Investment Management Calls for Sustainable Capitalism by 2020
The firm expands upon a manifesto written by co-founders Al Gore and David Blood and calls for mandatory integrated reporting and the pricing of externalities, an end to quarterly earnings guidance, and loyalty-drive securities for long-term investors.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
Only 9% of Fund Managers Incorporate ESG Factors
Mercer's evaluation of environmental, social, and corporate governance uptake by fund managers reveals that there is considerable room for improvement in how they communicate ESG integration to investors.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | PROXY ACCESS
ICCR Publishes 2012 Proxy Resolutions and Voting Guide
The Guide reveals a focus by members of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility on social issues and corporate engagement.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE REPORTING | EVENT ORGANIZERS INDUSTRY
GRI Publishes Sustainability Guidance for Event Organizers
Site selection and community impact are among the key issues for which reporting can enhance the accountability of event organizers, the Global Reporting Initiative says.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | HUMAN RIGHTS | BRIBERY & CORRUPTION
Shareowner Activists Urge Siemens to Quit Chamber of Commerce
CtW Investment Group writes to the German industrial conglomerate, stating that its position on the Chamber's board is at odds with the trade association's efforts to weaken the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Ecuadorian Court Upholds $18 Billion Judgment Against Chevron
In addition to upholding the judgment for environmental damages in Ecuador's Amazon rainforest, the court also criticized Chevron's efforts to undermine the trial.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Shareowner Activists Pressure Chevron for Transparency Over Payments to Burmese Regime
Amid news of a possible normalization of relations between the US and Burma, sustainable investors and other activists argue that most of Chevron's payments line the pockets of the military. First of a two-part series.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE REPORTING | HUMNA RIGHTS
Investors Provide Guidance for Compliance with California Transparency in Supply Chains Act
Companies are encouraged to go beyond compliance with law and enact policies that commit them to addressing human trafficking in their supply chains.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | FINANCIAL INDUSTRIES
Zuccotti Park Cleared of Occupy Protesters
Police action to remove activists from original Occupy Movement encampment occurs two days before planned rally to shut down Wall Street.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SOCIAL ISSUES | FINANCIAL INDUSTRIES
More Fodder for Uprising Against Economic Inequality
The Congressional Budget Office reports that household income of the top one percent grew by 275% between 1979 and 2007.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
ICCR Celebrates Forty Years of Shareowner Activism
More than 300 attend event that included a panel discussion on corporate responsibility and an eloquent address by Paul Neuhauser on shareowner action to end apartheid in South Africa.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE REPORTING | INTEGRATED REPORTS
Investors Call for Mandatory Integrated Reporting
The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Coalition, led by Aviva Investors, urges United Nations member states to require companies to include sustainability issues in annual financial reporting.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
PRI Issues 2011 Report on Progress
While integration of environmental, social, and corporate governance factors remains limited as a proportion of the global market, the report indicates that such integration is growing across asset classes.

BOOK REVIEW: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | HUMAN RIGHTS
Book Review: Tropic of Chaos, by Christian Parenti
Author Christian Parenti writes of how the catastrophic convergence of poverty, violence, and climate change is already destabilizing regions of the world, and of the worldwide conflagration that is likely to occur if climate change remains unchecked.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | AGRICULTURE | INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORS
PRI Launches Farmland Initiative
Eight institutional investors join to develop the Principles for Responsible Investment in Farmland, to ensure that investment in farmland is sustainable and transparent.

NEWS STORY: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Can Shell Be Trusted with Drilling in Arctic?
The company's permit from the Interior Department to drill in the Arctic precedes by days an oil spill in the North Sea, and follows a UN report critical of its acceptance of responsibility for oil spills in Nigeria.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
TIAA-CREF Publishes 2011 Socially Responsible Investing Annual Report
The report describes the accomplishments of the $470 billion financial services company in promoting sustainable investment according to environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) criteria.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES
Gilead Sciences Joins the Medicines Patent Pool
Gilead becomes the first pharmaceutical company to form a licensing agreement with the Pool, and will provide its HIV and Hepatitis B drugs at low cost to developing countries.

NEWS BRIEF: CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | HUMAN RIGHTS
UN Human Rights Council Endorses Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Authored by Special Representative John Ruggie, the Principles state that business enterprises are responsible for remediation of human rights violations in which they are involved.

NEWS BRIEF: SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT | CORPORATE REPORTING
Initiative Aims to Standardize Ratings of Corporate Social Responsibility
Ceres and Tellus Institute announce the launch of the Global Initiative for Sustainability Ratings, which aims to provide a single standard for rating the sustainability performance of companies.

NEWS BRIEF: ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | CLIMATE CHANGE
Global Emissions Reach Record High in 2010
The International Energy Agency finds that, following a decline in global emissions in 2009, they increased by five percent over the previous record year, adding to the challenge of meeting reduction goals established at Cancun last year.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES | OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY
Trillium Asks SEC to Investigate Chevron Disclosures
Discrepancies in assessing the impact on the company of an $18 billion judgment in Ecuador raise questions about the disclosures included in SEC filings.

NEWS BRIEF: SHAREOWNER ACTION | HUMAN RIGHTS
Investors Call for End to Human Trafficking in Corporate Supply Chains
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility issues a statement detailing ethical and financial cases for addressing human trafficking in supply chains, and sends letters to 25 companies calling for comprehensive policies on the issue.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | CORPORATE GOVERNANCE | SUPPLY CHAINS | APPAREL COMPANIES
As You Sow Reports on Supply Chain Compliance Programs of Apparel Companies
The report surveys the supply chain compliance programs of 15 US-based apparel companies, and finds that most have codes of conduct and audit their suppliers, but few hold senior executives responsible for improved compliance.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABILITY RATING
Social Platform for Socially Responsible Investors
The SRI community has a new way to share information about what companies are or aren't doing on social, environmental, and governance issues.

NEWS STORY: SCREENING; SUSTAINABILITY
Green Fast Food: Really Here or a Green Dream?
The fast food industry is seeing a growing demand for environmental sustainability. How can investors, consumers, and other stakeholders know which restaurants are truly embracing sustainable development and which are only greenwashing their practices?

INTERVIEW:
Bob Monks: ExxonMobil Exemplifies Corpocracy
SocialFunds writers Bill Baue and Francesca Rheannon interview corporate governance advocate Bob Monks about his shareholder activism at ExxonMobil and his new book, Corpocracy.

NEWS STORY: SUSTAINABILITY
Envisioning the Sustainable Supply Chain
Innovative collaborations between suppliers, retailers and consumers need to be forged so future supply chains support businesses and the environment.

INTERVIEW: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Michael Conroy on Activist Campaigns and the Certification Revolution
SocialFunds writer Bill Baue speaks with Michael Conroy about his new book, Branded! How the “Certification Revolution” is Transforming Global Companies

NEWS STORY: CLIMATE CHANGE:CORPORATE RESPONSIBLITY
Large UK Companies Put Their Best Foot Forward
New study of the FTSE 100 finds most companies, but not all, are improving their performance on environmental, social and governance issues.

NEWS STORY: CLIMATE CHANGE, SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Climate Change Resolutions Picking Up Heat
A new report from Ceres shows mutual funds are starting to move away from voting against climate change resolutions, to not voting on them at all.

NEWS STORY: SUPPLY CHAIN, CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
Transparent Supply Chain Sends A Clear Message
Hewlett-Packard recently released a list of its largest suppliers in hopes of increasing accountability from factory floors to consumers' front doors.

NEWS BRIEF: SCREENING, SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM
Shareholders Vote For Genocide-free Investing
Fidelity shareholders weigh in on genocide-free mutual funds.

INTERVIEW: SHAREHOLDER ADVOCACY: HUMAN RIGHTS
Shareholder Activists Try New Tactic in Divestment Campaign
Activists are bringing resolutions to shareholder meetings of mutual funds in a bid to widen pressure on companies doing business with the Sudanese government.

NEWS STORY:
Making Toys is Not Child's Play
A group of shareholders have come together to demand safer working conditions for workers along the toy supply chain.

NEWS STORY:
Corporate Operations in Burma Fuel Human Rights Abuses, Say Shareowner Activists
Shareowner letters to Chevron and Total criticize the piping of revenues to the Burmese regime, while the Norwegian Pension Fund defends its decision not to divest from Total.

NEWS STORY:
Companies, Carbon and Climate Change: The Carbon Disclosure Project Issues its 5th Global Corporate Climate Change Report
More companies are moving from simple carbon awareness to carbon action, but further work still needs to be done.

NEWS STORY:
Where in the World is Corporate Responsibility?
EIRIS' new report "The State of Responsible Business" details growing corporate responsibility in businesses worldwide.

NEWS STORY:
SEC Chair Cox Votes For Two Opposing Proxy Access Proposals--Both May Curtail Shareowner Rights
Republican commissioners support a proposal barring shareowners from nominating directors; Democrats support one allowing it, though it introduced other reductions in shareowner power.

NEWS STORY:
Sustainability Picks Up Where Supply and Demand Meet
Both investors and companies are working on sustainability issues as new reports by UN PRI and Goldman Sachs show ESG issues are gaining momentum.

NEWS STORY:
Shareholder Resolutions on Climate Change to Heat Up ExxonMobil's Annual Meeting
A broad coalition of shareholders is seriously concerned about ExxonMobil's lackluster response to global climate change and plans to give thumbs down to board member Michael Boskin.

NEWS STORY:
Fidelity Divests Large Chunk of Sudan-Related Holdings
Despite similar pressure from Sudan divestment activists, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway retain holdings in PetroChina, which is linked to genocide in Darfur.

NEWS STORY:
Opening Up Pandora's Box: SEC Proxy Roundtable Questions Role of Non-Binding Resolutions
SEC officers and panelists discuss the possibility of removing non-binding resolutions from the proxy and replacing them with online communications between shareowners and companies.

NEWS STORY:
Yes and No: Newmont Recommends Voting For One Resolution, Petitions SEC to Omit Another
The actions span the gamut of corporate responses to shareowner resolutions on environmental, social, and governance issues, from wholehearted support to forceful opposition.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Activism Precedes Development of SRI Slavery Screen
Most slavery exists far up the supply chain, and auditing practices do not yet exist to monitor for slavery at second- or third-tier suppliers, so it is too early to enact an enforceable slavery screen.

NEWS STORY:
Ruggie Report Says Voluntary Human Rights Initiatives Set Stage for Binding Global Standards
While the report finds significant flaws with voluntary collaborations between corporations and civil society, they currently fill the gap created by nation-states failing to protect human rights.

NEWS STORY:
Chocolate Giant Commits to Responsible Supplier Code
The Hershey Company is working to create a supplier code of conduct that goes above and beyond just cocoa suppliers.

NEWS STORY:
The Gates Foundation and Mission Related Investing: Room for Alignment?
An investigative report into the investment practices of the Gates Foundation has reinvigorated the debate over the obligation of foundations to align their missions with their investments.

NEWS STORY:
S&P 500 Lags on Climate Disclosure, Electric Utilities Burning Economic Value Into Carbon
Two recent reports use findings of the 2006 Carbon Disclosure Project to assess limits of transparency on climate risks and opportunities and drag on value creation at electric utilities.

NEWS STORY:
Inaugural Report Card Grades College Sustainability on Endowment and Campus Efforts
The Sustainable Endowments Institute study finds endowment sustainability lagging campus sustainability policies and initiatives.

NEWS STORY:
From Competition to Cooperation: Companies Collaborate on Social and Environmental Issues
Collaborative initiatives bring together companies, investors, and activists to address issues such as online freedom of expression, climate change, and labor rights in the global supply chain.

NEWS STORY:
Top Five Socially Responsible Investing News Stories of 2006
Green investing booms, microfinance pioneer wins Nobel Peace Prize, shareowner democracy increases, resolutions receive record votes, and UN launches Principles of Responsible Investment

NEWS STORY:
Rainforest Action Network Seeks to Stem Flow of Financing to TXU Coal Project
Part two of this two-part articles addresses how RAN sent a letter to 54 banks urging them to withhold funding from a TXU plan to build 11 pulverized coal-burning power plants in Texas.

NEWS STORY:
Marriott Combats Child Sexual Exploitation
Shareowner engagement by Boston Common Asset Management and the First Swedish National Pension Fund prompts Marriott to explicitly address child sex tourism in its human rights policy.

NEWS STORY:
How to Do Sustainble Banking
BankTrack, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations promoting social and environmental responsibility in the finance sector, issues a guide to best practices in sustainable banking.

NEWS STORY:
Pharma Companies Need to Keep Improving AIDS Response, Says ICCR and Nigerian Doctor
Chukwumuanya Igboekwu of Physicians for Social Justice adds his own critiques to the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility study on pharmaceutical industry shortcomings in addressing AIDS.

NEWS STORY:
New Exchange Traded Fund Tracks Domini 400 Social Index
Barclays Global Investors launches the iShares KLD 400 Social Index ETF.

NEWS STORY:
Dear Sir or Madam: Stakeholder Letters Push Corporate Sustainability Improvements
Letters remains an important mode for addressing environmental, social, and governance issues, encompassing a broader swath than simply communication between shareowners and companies.

NEWS STORY:
Glass Lewis Adds KLD Proxy Voting Guidelines to Proxy Voting Platform
The move increases the availability of socially responsible investing proxy voting guidelines, but it remains to be seen if it inspires Glass Lewis to support more SRI resolutions in its own guidelines.

NEWS STORY:
Votes for Social and Environmental Resolutions Rising, But Proxy Firm Support Still Lagging
Over a quarter of social and environmental resolutions topped 15 percent support this proxy season, but proxy advisory firm recommendations supporting such proposals remain low.

NEWS STORY:
FTSE4Good Deletes Nine Companies on Environmental and Supply Chain Labor Standards
FTSE4Good criteria promote incremental progress in corporate social responsibility performance, and climate change is the latest topic covered in newly proposed standards.

NEWS STORY:
Carbon Disclosure Project Finds Tipping Point in Awareness But Not Action on Climate Risks
CDP4 reveals almost three quarters of FT500 tracking their greenhouse gas emissions, but less than half of those who think climate change poses risks are reducing GHG emissions.

NEWS STORY:
Barclays Files for Permission to Launch iShares ETF Tracking the Domini Social Index
The exchange-traded fund will likely have a low expense ratio, but will not conduct shareowner engagement like the other fund tracking the DSI, the Green Century Equity Fund, does.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowners Push TimeWarner on Movies Depicting Smoking, Recycled Paper, and Pay Disparity
Part two of this two-part article documents steps forward made by TimeWarner, as well as areas where shareowner activists continue to press for progress.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Activists See Progress at TimeWarner, and Room for Improvement
In part one of this two-part article, activists applaud the company on its first corporate social responsibility report while continuing to push on environmental, social, and governance issues.

NEWS STORY:
Nuns and Priests File Depleted Uranium Bunker Buster Resolution at Three Weapons Companies
The resolution goes to vote next week at Alliant Techsystems, and already received more than double the support needed to re-file next year at Lockheed Martin and Textron.

NEWS STORY:
Trillium Takes the Reins from Winslow in Managing the Green Century Balanced Fund
The transition in portfolio managers has shifted the fund back to its roots as a core portfolio holding by reducing risk and diversifying holdings across the multi-cap space.

NEWS STORY:
Filing Resolutions at Mutual Funds: The Next Frontier for Shareowner Activism?
Eight years after the Northwest Corporate Accountability Project first filed an environmental shareowner resolution, it will finally go to vote at the Merrill Lynch Global Allocation Fund.

NEWS STORY:
Survey Reveals TIAA-CREF Investor Desire to Up Commitment to SRI
TIAA-CREF promises to respond to participants, of whom over three-quarters prioritize social and environmental considerations in investing choices.

NEWS STORY:
Missouri Treasurer Implements Anti-Terrorism Screen on State Fund
The screen excludes Sudan as a state sponsor of terrorism, not necessarily as a genocidal regime, distinguishing this strategy from other Sudan-related state divestment strategies.

NEWS STORY:
Semantics and Semitics: Presbyterian Church Investment to Focus on Israeli-Palestinian Peace
A recommendation approved by the church General Assembly apologizes to Jews and refines language while reaffirming commitment to corporate engagement with divestment as last resort.

NEWS STORY:
Stratfor Analysis Says Rise in Support for Shareowner Activism is Hitting a Plateau
The analysis suggests that corporate executives are building up a tolerance to higher resolution votes; mutual fund proxy voting transparency represents the next frontier for shareowner activists to boost votes.

NEWS STORY:
Correlating Proxy Advisory Firm Recommendations with Voting Results
A look at the link between recommendations by Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis, and PROXYGovernance and voting results at Citigroup, Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Wal-Mart.

NEWS STORY:
Norwegian Government Pension Fund Dumps Wal-Mart and Freeport on Ethical Exclusions
The $230 billion global fund--one of the largest pension funds in the world--cited Wal-Mart for systematic human rights violations and Freeport for serious environmental damage.

NEWS STORY:
Corporate Shenanigans: Companies Dis Shareowners at Annual Meetings
Home Depot exemplifies a phenomenon of companies manipulating annual meeting protocols to disempower shareowners, following in the footsteps of Weyerhaeuser, Whole Foods, and others.

NEWS STORY:
Amgen Recommends Support for Political Donations Resolution, Bolstering Broader Campaign
The Center for Political Accountability, which coordinates the political contributions campaign, released a report on trade association contributions that previews its 2007 proxy season strategy.

NEWS STORY:
Digging for More than Gold: SRI Letter Asks Newmont to Address Western Shoshone Concerns
The letter cites a recent decision by the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to support Western Shoshone claims.

NEWS STORY:
Confirming the CalPERS Effect: Academic Study Links Shareowner Activism to Financial Gain
Examining companies targeted for governance reform by the CalPERS Focus List, the study presents data correlating activism to increasing shareowner value as well as cautionary notes.

NEWS STORY:
Proxy Season Report Geared to Foundations Helps Others Navigate Proxy Landscape
As You Sow Foundation and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors report allows for stepping back by providing a useful overview as well as an in-depth look at behind-the-scenes dialogue.

NEWS STORY:
United Nations Endorses SRI Strategies in Launching Principles for Responsible Investment
Some 50 institutional investors globally representing $4 trillion in assets have signed on to the Principles, which promote the consideration of environmental, social and governance factors.

NEWS STORY:
Conflict of Interests Policies and Practices Vary Widely at Proxy Advisory Firms
Part two of this two-part article examines how Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis, and PROXY Governance handle potential conflicts of interest.

NEWS STORY:
Voting Recommendations on Shareowner Resolutions Vary Widely at Proxy Advisory Firms
Part one of this two-part article compares Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass Lewis, and PROXY Governance vote recommendations on resolutions at Citigroup and Chevron.

NEWS STORY:
Wal-Mart Discloses Equal Employment Opportunity Data
The company joined six others in the S&P 100 that publicly disclose their EEO-1 report, but Wal-Mart still faces shareowner action on union-busting and selling gems mined in Burma.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Resolutions Overcome Obstacles to Promote Sustainability Reporting
A campaign advocating for sustainability reporting refines its strategies, shifting from requiring adherence to recommending Global Reporting Initiative guidelines.

NEWS STORY:
White House and Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility Address Pediatric AIDS
Bush Administration launches a new public-private partnership on Pediatric AIDS, an area where ICCR engages pharmaceutical companies in shareowner advocacy.

NEWS STORY:
Thirty Years and Counting: Cofounder Wayne Silby Recounts the Birth of Calvert
To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of Calvert, SocialFunds.com speaks with co-founder Wayne Silby about its genesis, development, and future.

NEWS STORY:
A Serendipitous Match: Davis Advisors Takes Over MMA Praxis Core Stock Fund
The portfolio holding of Wal-Mart exemplifies (oddly enough) how both Davis Advisors and MMA Praxis emphasize the importance of stewardship and shareowner empowerment.

NEWS STORY:
SEC Forces Chevron, Dow, and CVS to Include Shareowner Resolutions on Their Proxies
Part two of this two-part article examines no-action activity thus far in the 2006 proxy season, focusing on attempts to apply the personal grievance rule and expand a new risk assessment rule.

NEWS STORY:
Resolution Withdrawals Signal Success in Shareowner Advocacy Early in 2006 Proxy Season
Part one of this two-part article examines withdrawal of resolutions on climate change, sexual orientation nondiscrimination, political contributions, and HIV/AIDS policies.

NEWS STORY:
IT Company Collusion with Chinese Authorities to Repress Free Expression Shorts Shareowner Value
Boston Common Asset Management submits testimony to congressional hearings asserting that protecting shareholder value and respecting human rights are not mutually exclusive mandates.

NEWS STORY:
KLD and ISS Offer Research Tools for Divesting from Sudanese Genocide and Terrorism
The KLD tool focuses narrowly on the Illinois law mandating divestment from companies doing business with the Sudan; the ISS tool focuses beyond divestment and on other state sponsors of terrorism.

NEWS STORY:
Using Mutual Fund Proxy Voting Data to Promote More Conscientious Voting
The final installment of this multi-part series steps back to consider the implications of the findings and how to harness them to push mutual funds to support corporate social responsibility.

NEWS STORY:
Social Investment Forum Trends Report Tracks Rises and Falls of Socially Responsible Investing
The 2005 report documents increases since 2003 in assets overall in SRI, in SRI mutual funds, and in shareholder advocacy, but decreases in overall screened assets and in screened separate accounts.

NEWS STORY:
Eroding Support for Shareowner Resolutions on Climate Change Revealed by Unpublished Data
In part three of this multi-part article, SocialFunds.com examines unpublished data associated with a recent report on mutual fund proxy voting from The Corporate Library, and finds decreasing support for climate change resolutions.

NEWS STORY:
Unpublished Data Clarifies SRI Proxy Voting on CSR Resolutions
In part two in this multi-part series, SocialFunds.com examines unpublished data associated with a recent report from The Corporate Library, and finds that statistics are not always what they seem at first glance.

NEWS STORY:
The Corporate Library Report on Mutual Fund Proxy Voting Finds Stagnation and Even Retreat
Part one of this multi-part series discusses the report findings on decreasing mainstream fund support for CSR resolutions; subsequent articles examine unpublished data from the research.

NEWS STORY:
Wal-Mart Faces Host of Shareowner Resolutions, From Union-Busting to Sustainability Reporting
The broad range of resolutions suggests that the sustainability commitments announced by Wal-Mart last year did not convince shareowners that the company has solved all its challenges.

BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--Megatrends 2010: The Rise of Conscious Capitalism
The newest in the Megatrends series advances a framework for conscious capitalism that highlights socially responsible investing.

NEWS STORY:
PROXY Governance Diversifies Proxy Advisory Choice
The new proxy advisory firm expands options for fiduciaries.

NEWS STORY:
First Steps: Corporate Engagement on HIV/AIDS Improves Since Last World AIDS Day
Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS Best Practice AIDS Standard represents an important step forward, and companies such as Intel are responding to shareowner dialogue with ICCR.

NEWS STORY:
New International Finance Corporation Sustainability Standards: Watershed or Watered Down?
A group of socially responsible investors express concern over perceived shortcomings in the proposed IFC policy revisions, while the IFC points out where the policies break new ground.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Empowerment Is Alive and Well: a Preview of the 2006 Proxy Season
Part two of this two-part article examines the developing trends in shareowner activism as resolutions are filed for the upcoming proxy season.

NEWS STORY:
Forging Ahead from the Crossroads: Reviewing the 2005 Proxy Season
Part one of this two-part article looks back at this year's proxy season, which was highlighted by majority vote director election proposals while part two previews the upcoming proxy season.

NEWS STORY:
Tearing Down the Great Firewall
Social investors issue a statement holding information technology companies accountable for collusion with repressive regimes such as China that stifle dissent expressed on the Internet.

BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--The Challenge to Power: Money, Investing, and Democracy
John Harrington compiles voluminous evidence to diagnose what ails modern corporatocracy, and prescribes a comprehensive cure with socially responsible investing playing a key role.

NEWS STORY:
Wal-Mart Embraces Sustainability: Does the SRI Community Buy It?
Socially responsible investors cautiously applaud Wal-Mart for committing to social and environmental sustainability, but remain highly skeptical about actual implementation.

NEWS STORY:
Institutional Investors Drive Research on Mainstreaming of SRI by Investment Managers
A new line of research at Mercer Investment Consulting rates proxy voting, shareholder engagement, and analysis of environmental, social, and governance issues by mainstream investment managers.

NEWS STORY:
Changing of the Guard: Vanguard Pulls a Switcheroo on SRI Index Providers
Vanguard is swapping the benchmark for its socially responsible investing index fund from the Calvert Social Index to the FTSE4Good US Select Index.

NEWS STORY:
ICCR Online Database Eases Access to Information on Shareowner Resolutions
EthVest, the new web-based tool from the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, provides access to 2,000-plus shareowner resolutions and 12-plus years of shareowner action.

NEWS STORY:
Third Carbon Disclosure Project Survey Finds Increasing Action on Climate Change
CDP3, now sponsored by 155 institutional investors with more than $21 trillion in assets, also reveals some significant footdragging by the Financial Times 500 companies.

NEWS STORY:
A Semantic Hermeneutics of SRI
KLD Research & Analytics Founding President Peter Kinder examines limitations of the term socially responsible investing, and identifies both overemphasized and overlooked distinctions.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Resolution Asks Monsanto to Create Ethics Oversight Committee
The company stonewalls inquiries related to the resolution, which springs from a $1.5 million settlement with the SEC and DOJ earlier this year regarding a bribe Monstanto paid in Indonesia.

NEWS STORY:
Lack of Human Rights Policy Concerns Chevron Shareowners in Light of Unocal Merger
Part two of this two-part article examines the implications of the delay in adopting a human rights policy given the inheritance of Unocal holdings in Burma and Alien Tort Claims Act cases.

NEWS STORY:
New Document Alleges Tie Between Chevron and Human Rights Abuses in Nigeria
Identified in the discovery phase of a case proceeding at state and federal levels, the invoice and receipt indicate Chevron paid Nigerian soldiers for services on a day several villagers were allegedly killed (part one of a two-part article.)

NEWS STORY:
Power to the People: Amnesty Launches Grassroots Shareowner Advocacy Program
The SharePower program encourages ordinary people to tell institutional investors holding shares in their name to vote for shareowner resolutions supporting human rights.

NEWS STORY:
Shell Doubles Cost Projections of Sakhalin II, Project Critics Redouble Opposition
The largest oil and gas project in the world meets resistance over concerns about its social and environmental impacts, as well as its economic sustainability.

NEWS STORY:
Students and States Seek to End Genocide in Sudan Through Divestment Campaigns
Students urge Stanford University to follow in the footsteps of Harvard University by divesting, and urge California senators to pass legislation like Illinois did.

NEWS STORY:
The Ghost of a Shareholder Resolution Haunts ExxonMobil Annual Meeting
Despite an unprecedented 28 percent vote for a first-year climate change resolution and strong support for seven others, the censoring of a resolution quashes shareholder democracy.

NEWS STORY:
IFC Urged to Include Corporate Screens and Address Climate Change in New Standards
A group of socially responsible investment practitioners recommends revisions to new International Finance Corporation social and environmental sustainability standards.

BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--The Bhopal Reader: Remembering Twenty Years of the World's Worst Industrial Disaster
A collection of primary and secondary sources spanning the twenty-year quest for corporate accountability from Union Carbide and now Dow for the 1984 chemical leak that killed thousands upon thousands.

NEWS STORY:
Institutional Investors Call on SEC, Wall Street, and Companies to Address Climate Risk
The second Investor Summit on Climate Risk focused on information, from the perspectives of disclosure, data generation, and analysis, as a key to transforming climate risk into opportunity.

NEWS STORY:
Virgin Trees in Kleenex: Greenpeace Lambasts Kimberly-Clark Fiber Sourcing
Between 15 and 30 percent of K-C tissue products fiber originates from the Canadian Boreal Forest, according to a Greenpeace report, and only 19 percent of its fiber is recycled.

NEWS STORY:
JPMorgan Chase Environmental Policy Triggers Tipping Point for US Bank Sustainability
The JPMC policy surpasses environmental best practice established by Citigroup and Bank of America in some areas, but also lags these sustainability leaders in others.

NEWS STORY:
Pharma and Biotech Companies Just Starting to Pass the Transparency Litmus Test
oekom research rates the social and environmental sustainability performance of 27 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, and finds disclosure lacking across the board.

NEWS STORY:
Weyerhaeuser To Screen Shareholder Questions at Annual Meeting Tomorrow
Shifting from the standard open-mic Question and Answer format, the CEO will act as gatekeeper for shareholder questions, a practice viewed by shareholders as restricting their rights.

NEWS STORY:
SRI Funds Vote Proxies More Conscientiously Than Conventional Funds on Corporate Governance
A study on proxy voting by socially responsible investment and conventional funds finds SRI funds voting against management more often on social, environmental, and governance issues.

NEWS STORY:
Ecuadorian Attorney General Tells ChevronTexaco Shareholders Remediation Agreement May Be Invalid
The questionable validity of the remediation agreement indemnifying ChevronTexaco could carry implications for the lawsuit and beyond (part three of a multipart article).

NEWS STORY:
Asphalt Jungle: Did Oil Drilling by Texaco Create Environmental and Social Harm in Ecuador?
Both ChevronTexaco and lawsuit plaintiffs are finding evidence of contamination during judicial site inspections: the question is, does it pose human health or environmental risks? (part two of a multi-part article.)

NEWS STORY:
Oil Spread Upon the Waters of Ecuador May Return Harm for ChevronTexaco Shareholders
A shareholder delegation surveys the environmental and social impact of oil operations, assessing potential risk from a twelve-year old lawsuit in its judicial inspection phase (part one of a multi-part article).

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Activists on Sustainability Take Baby Steps Into Sustainability Screening
Part one of this two-part article surveys the landscape of US public pension fund screening of corporate social and environmental sustainability.

NEWS STORY:
Caterpillar Bulldozes Shareowner Concern Over Aiding Alleged Israeli War Crimes
Caterpillar faces a shareowner resolution as well as a lawsuit filed by the family of peace activist Rachel Corrie that cites the Nuremberg Tribunal as precedent in alleging war crime complicity.

NEWS STORY:
Faith-Based and Environmentalist Shareowners Withdraw Climate Change Resolutions at Six Companies
The six oil and gas companies commit to measure, mitigate, and disclose data related to global warming, and evangelicals join their faith-based compatriots in concern over climate change.

NEWS STORY:
Comparing Citigroup and JP Morgan Chase Policies: Which Stems Illegal Logging in Indonesia?
Before providing funding, financial institution policies requiring documentation certifying legitimate timber sourcing may help promote sustainable logging in Southeast Asia.

NEWS STORY:
Campaign to Enhance Pharma Industry Accountability Broadens Shareowner Action
The Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility sent letters to over 2,750 institutional investors seeking support for three resolutions filed at nine pharmaceutical companies.

BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review--Corporations and the Public Interest: Guiding the Invisible Hand
Steve Lydenberg eloquently describes corporate social responsibility and socially responsible investment, fields in which he is an expert, and recommends mechanisms to fuel their trajectories.

NEWS STORY:
Deafening Silence: Corporate Political Contribution Non-Disclosure Impacts Shareowner Value
A Center for Political Accountability report documents corporate secrecy on political donations, and a Common Cause report reveals how mutual funds fail to support contribution transparency.

NEWS STORY:
Speaking From Both Sides of the Mouth: The Art and Science of Corporate Tax Avoidance
Three reports--by a US tax watchdog, a pair of US academics, and a UK socially responsible investment firm--find troubling trends in corporate tax strategies.

NEWS STORY:
World Economic Forum Report Finds Decreasing Corporate Awareness and Response to AIDS
The report also finds an increase in companies adopting HIV/AIDS policies, a trend confirmed by the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS.

NEWS STORY:
Monsanto $1.5 Million Fines for Genetic Engineering Bribe Illustrates Risks of GE Strategy
The penalties, levied by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Department of Justice, may lend credence to a shareowner resolution asking Monsanto to report on GE risks.

NEWS STORY:
Top Five Socially Responsible Investing News Stories of 2004
Shareowner engagement shifted from confrontational to collaborative, sustainability analysis fused with financial analysis, and fiduciary duty expanded to include social and environmental issues.

NEWS STORY:
Addressing the Israel-Palestine Conflict Through Shareowner Action and Selective Divestment
Part two of this two-part article examines the Presbyterian Church USA's policy of "phased, selective divestment" and the Episcopal Church's decision to study the issue before responding.

NEWS STORY:
To Divest or Not to Divest: Ethical Considerations of Addressing the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Part one of this two-part article examines across-the-board divestment from companies profiting off Israeli policies that harm Palestinians, and the case against divestment.

NEWS STORY:
Divesting from Genocide: More Conversation with Eric Reeves of the Divest Sudan Campaign
In part two of this two-part interview, Mr. Reeves discusses the significance of actions by the investment and legislative communities to address the humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

NEWS STORY:
Divesting From Genocide: A Conversation with Eric Reeves of the Divest Sudan Campaign
In part one of this two-part interview, Mr. Reeves explains why shareowner action and direct dialogue with companies operating in Sudan is not an option in the context of genocide.

NEWS STORY:
Ford HIV Report Exemplifies New Shareowner Action Strategy
Ford joins Coca-Cola, Cinergy, and others heeding shareowner resolutions requesting reporting on social and environmental issues, but it remains to be seen how far the strategy will extend.

NEWS STORY:
Graphing Graft: Transparency International Finds Rampant Corruption in 60 Countries
The tenth annual Corruption Perceptions Index highlights the acute problem of corruption in oil-rich countries.

NEWS STORY:
Are Electronic Components Producers Ready for Environmental Regulation?
A Citizens Advisors study surveys 26 electronics components companies, and projects that many of them will be unprepared for European Union laws taking effect in 2006.

NEWS STORY:
Memo From: SRI Analysts To: Companies--Use GRI Sustainability Reporting Platform!
A coalition of 17 socially responsible investment firms recommends that companies disclose social and environmental data using the Global Reporting Initiative.

NEWS STORY:
About Face: Cintas Settles Lawsuit and Supports Vendor Standards Resolution
In his apology, Tim Smith of Walden Asset Management highlights the need for accurate information, which Cintas promises to supply in the report requested by the resolution.

NEWS STORY:
US Banks Criticized for Involvement in China State Bank Bonds
Nongovernmental organizations and socially responsible investing firms criticize US banks for selling Chinese bonds that fund socially and environmentally problematic projects.

NEWS STORY:
Accuracy of Dow Chemical Statements and SEC Filings Questioned
On behalf of two socially responsible investment firms, an environmental attorney asks the SEC to probe the factuality of public statements and filings made by Dow Chemical.

NEWS STORY:
Can Corporate Social Responsibility Put the Brakes on HIV in Africa?
A field report from Africa by Dan Rosan of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility.

NEWS STORY:
Keeping Score: The Mathematics and Linguistics of the World Bank Extractive Industries Review
World Bank Group management and socially responsible investors interpret EIR recommendations differently.

NEWS STORY:
The Emergence Story Behind Indigenous Peoples Rights Screens
Socially responsible investment firms also engage in shareowner action on indigenous peoples rights issues.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Resolution Withdrawn as JP Morgan Chase Addresses Environmental Risks
A group of socially responsible investment advocates withdrew a shareowner resolution from JP Morgan Chase when the company established an office of environmental affairs.

NEWS STORY:
ChevronTexaco Faces Class-Action Lawsuit in Ecuador Over Environmental Damage
A resolution asking ChevronTexaco to report on new initiatives to address its legacy of environmental damage in Ecuador gained nine percent support from shareowners.

NEWS STORY:
Jewish Institutional Investors Form Shareholder Engagement Network
The Jewish Shareholder Engagement Network is based on the notion that Jewish tradition supports such shareowner action as active proxy voting and dialogue with companies.

NEWS STORY:
First-Year Resolution on HIV/AIDS Garners Significant Support at Pharmaceuticals
The HIV/AIDS pandemic threatens human life and shareowner value, according to a shareowner resolution filed at companies in the pharmaceutical, oil, and beverage sectors.

NEWS STORY:
Social Investors Urge World Bank to Adopt Extractive Industries Review Proposals
If adopted by the World Bank, EIR recommendations could serve as a social and environmental best practice benchmark for oil, gas, and mining companies.

NEWS STORY:
Occidental To Adopt Formal Human Rights Policy, Shareowners Withdraw Resolution
Successful shareholder action results in steps towards Occidental formalizing its human rights policy.

NEWS STORY:
Cintas Defamation Suit Challenges Shareowner Free Speech Rights
Cintas files a defamation lawsuit against Tim Smith of Walden Asset Management for alleging that the company uses sweatshop labor in Haiti.

NEWS STORY:
ExxonMobil Contributed Five Percent of Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Last 120 Years
Friends of the Earth releases two studies that attribute one twentieth of global climate change to ExxonMobil. The company questions these findings, as it questions climate change.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowner Resolution Calls Costco on Cultural Crimes in Mexican Site Development
Shareowners express concern that Costco, which demolished a culturally significant site in Mexico to build a store, may be demolishing its reputation in the process.

NEWS STORY:
Film Depicts Environmental and Social Reporting Disappearing in SEC Black Hole
A documentary film by environmental attorney Sanford Lewis reveals the SEC's failure to enforce its rules requiring companies to disclose environmental and social liabilities.

NEWS STORY:
Many Companies Cannot Verify Whether Their Palm Oil Is Produced Sustainably
An ISIS Asset Management report finds that few companies can trace the source of their palm oil up their supply chain to confirm whether or not it is produced sustainably.

NEWS STORY:
Top Five Social Investing News Stories of 2003
The major social investing news stories of the year include SEC reforms, stock exchanges mandating social, environmental, and corporate governance practices, and climate risk assessment defined as a fiduciary duty.

NEWS STORY:
2004 Proxy Season Glimpse: HIV/AIDS Shareowner Campaign Shifts from Conflict to Collaboration
The 2004 proxy season has commenced with an instance of cooperation between a company and its shareowners (Part two of a two-part article.)

NEWS STORY:
2003 Proxy Season Roundup: Shareowner Action Success Measured On and Off the Record
While the 2003 proxy season produced some impressive numbers, shareowner advocates also define success in ways that are not easily quantifiable (Part one of a two-part article.)

NEWS STORY:
Two New Real Assets Funds Attract $25 Million in Their First Two Months
The Real Assets Social Leaders Fund and Social Impact Balanced Fund are off to a flying start, re-invigorating social investing in Canada.

NEWS STORY:
UN Institutional Investor Summit Considers Opportunities of Addressing Climate Change
Institutional investors make the business case and investment case for assessing, reporting, and mitigating climate change in a summit at the UN (part two of a two-part article).

NEWS STORY:
British American Tobacco Reluctantly Exits Myanmar
Bowing to pressure from activists and the UK government, BAT sold its interest in its Myanmar operation, though it will continue to license its cigarette brands there.

NEWS STORY:
ISIS Product Offers Shareowner Action without Portfolio Management
Institutional investors can use ISIS's Responsible Engagement Overlay to promote better social and environmental performance at companies through dialogue, proxy voting, shareowner resolution filing, and research.

NEWS STORY:
New Proxy Voting Recommendation Service Provides Choice, Objectivity
Investor Responsibility Research Center teams with Glass, Lewis & Co. to provide proxy voting recommendations and voting services to institutional investors.

NEWS STORY:
Institutional Investor Practices SRI Through Shareowner Action
The Nathan Cummings Foundation prioritizes shareowner action by actively voting its proxies, filing shareowner resolutions, and dialoguing with companies on social issues.

NEWS STORY:
The Needmor Fund Utilizes a Muscular Definition of Fiduciary Responsibility
Susan Stranahan, treasurer of the Needmor Fund, discusses socially responsible investing as a fiduciary duty and tier A money managers who have a social mission.

NEWS STORY:
Eurosif Releases Transparency Guidelines for European SRI Funds
Eurosif asks socially responsible investment firms to disclose their policies and procedures around SRI issues.

NEWS STORY:
Pension Funds and Mutual Funds Influence Their Holdings Differently
Academic studies discern between how pension funds and mutual funds wield influence as institutional shareowners, but the studies lack methods sophisticated enough to evaluate the effects of SRI.

NEWS STORY:
Investors Managing $3 Trillion Back Blair's Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative
Developing countries are being prodded to support oil and mining companies disclosure of payments the companies make to governments.

NEWS STORY:
Religious Institutions Issue Benchmarks for Corporate Social Responsibility Performance
A global coalition of religious activists have published the third edition of a comprehensive set of guidelines for corporate social and environmental performance.

NEWS STORY:
Blacklisting, Voicetracking, and Payola: Clear Channel and the Effects of Media Consolidation
Shareowner activists ask Clear Channel to ban blacklisting, while musicians and other activists oppose FCC plans to deregulate media industries.

NEWS STORY:
Innovest Report Identifies Business Risk of Genetic Engineering for Monsanto Investors
The controversy surrounding genetic engineering creates substantial risks to shareowner value at Monsanto, according to a new report from Innovest.

NEWS STORY:
The Answer to the Coffee Crisis? Farmers Want Fair Price, Kraft Says Increase Demand
Calls for fair prices and Fair Trade Certified coffee by social investors, coffee farmers, and Oxfam go unheeded by Kraft.

NEWS STORY:
Is Nike Guaranteed Free Speech? The Supreme Court Will Decide
Advocates of socially responsible investment and corporate social responsibility on both sides of the Atlantic weigh in on the implications of Nike's Supreme Court case.

NEWS STORY:
Pay Dirt or Payola? How Halliburton Strikes it Rich
A number of practices have generated profits as well as controversy for Halliburton, the company where Vice President Dick Cheney served six years as CEO.

NEWS STORY:
Oekom Applauds Insurers Employing SRI but Chides Rest of Sector's Non-Transparency
Lack of transparency prevented the German corporate research firm from conducting corporate responsibility ratings on the majority of global insurance companies.

NEWS STORY:
The Black and White and Gray Areas of Military and Weapons Screening
Most social investors screen out companies that derive revenue from military-related products and services or weapons manufacturing. However, a zero tolerance screen is unusual.

NEWS STORY:
ExxonMobil Receives 23 Shareowner Resolutions on Issues Ranging from Climate Change to Corporate Governance
Concerted shareowner action this proxy season targets ExxonMobil over such issues as its refusal to address climate change and its coupling of CEO and Chairman of the Board.

NEWS STORY:
Carbon Disclosure Project Informs Investors of Climate Change Risks and Opportunities
A new report finds that companies stand to gain competitive advantage by addressing climate change.

NEWS STORY:
ICCR Proxy Resolutions Book Gauges Shareowner Action Climate
In its new publication, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility rounds up the social and environmental shareowner resolutions to be voted on in the 2003 proxy season.

NEWS STORY:
Global Warming Shareowner Resolution Filed at "Filthy Five" Electric Companies
A coalition of institutional investors has filed a shareowner resolution calling on five electric power producers to report on the business risk of their greenhouse gas emissions.

NEWS STORY:
Presbyterian Funds Honor Their History in SRI by Performing Well in the Present
New Covenant Funds, which trace its SRI roots back well beyond its 1999 inception date, offers several mutual funds that have been performing better than their peers.

NEWS STORY:
Social Investors Spur Social and Environmental Upgrades at Intel
Over the past five years, Intel Corporation's program of engagement with the social investment community has helped the company boost its competitive advantage.

NEWS STORY:
Talisman Leaves Sudan But Remains on Social Investment Nix List
Canadian SRI rating agency recommends investors continue to avoid investment in Talisman due to ongoing human rights and environmental concerns.

NEWS STORY:
National Policy Association Book Advocates Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting
A new book published by the National Policy Association makes a series of recommendations to promote global corporate social responsibility, among them triple bottom line reporting.

NEWS STORY:
Oxfam Launches Coffee Rescue Plan
Oxfam International's new effort to promote the fair trade of coffee garners immediate support from Domini Social Investments.

NEWS STORY:
Conference to Consider the Business Case for SRI
Institutional investors will discuss SRI at the Green Mountain SRI Summit, to be held in Stowe, Vermont in September.

NEWS STORY:
Calls for Shareowner Action Continue to Rise on U.S. Campuses
Swarthmore this year became the first college to singly file a shareowner resolution since the end of the anti-apartheid movement, and campuses across the U.S. are calling for divestment from Israel.

NEWS STORY:
Two Perspectives on the Business Case for Ethical Corporate Behavior
Robert Monks defends the business case for corporate ethics against Sir Geoffrey Chandler's recent editorial attacking the business case as amoral.

NEWS STORY:
Debate Continues Over Effects of CalPERS' Divestment from Emerging Market Countries
Although CalPERS may reverse its decision to divest from the Philippines, the question of how other emerging markets will be affected by divestment remains unanswered.

NEWS STORY:
Survey Holds Money Managers Accountable
A recent AFL-CIO survey may prod money managers to examine their proxy voting on labor issues, but some in the social investment community note that the interests of organized labor and social investors sometimes diverge.

NEWS STORY:
Campaign Calls for U.S. Pharmaceutical Companies to Allow Inspections for Bio-Weapons
A non-profit watchdog is advocating mandatory inspection of chemical manufacturers capable of producing bio-weapons, a measure opposed by a U.S. pharmaceutical industry group.

NEWS STORY:
Consulting Firm Promotes Online Reporting of Triple Bottom Line
SustainAbility, a British research and consultancy firm, recently released a report on how companies, their stakeholders and customers use the Internet to communicate about sustainable development.

NEWS STORY:
Shareowners Increase Social Activism Significantly in 2001
Research released by the Investor Responsibility Research Center reveals upward trends for shareowner activism on social issues.

NEWS STORY:
Directing the Faithful Call for Corporate Social Responsibility
An interview with Sister Patricia Wolf, executive director of ICCR, reveals how ICCR has remained a driving force in the corporate social responsibility movement and what might be in store for ICCR in the future.

NEWS STORY:
Social Investors Press Unocal to Cut Ties to Burma
Social investors have become part of a sophisticated, multi-pronged campaign to keep the Burma issue in front Unocal senior management. (part two of a two-part article)

NEWS STORY:
Students Push University of Virginia Out of Unocal
Unocal is feeling pressure from activists because the company continues to do business with Burma's ruling military regime. (part one of a two-part article)

NEWS STORY:
Socially Responsible Shareowner Proposals Continue to Gain Support
The number of social issue proposals receiving at least 10 percent support in the 2001 proxy season outpaces that of recent years.

NEWS STORY:
Group Invites Grantmakers to Invest with Their Values
The Foundation Partnership for Corporate Responsibility seeks to help foundations bring their investment principles in line with their mission.

NEWS STORY:
Proxy Monitor Buys ISS
Move gives one firm significant power in influencing the proxy votes of institutional investors.

NEWS STORY:
Canadian Parliament Votes to Give Socially Responsible Shareowner Proposals Equal Billing
New law will limit corporate management’s ability to claim that a proposal “promotes a cause” and therefore should be rejected.

BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review: The New Global Investors
Robert Monks calls on institutional investors to exercise their rights as shareowners and hold senior managers accountable for company performance and practices.

NEWS STORY:
Labor Standards Resolutions Garner Support in 2001 Proxy Season
Ten international labor and human rights proposals that came to vote this year received 10 percent or more support from shareowners.

NEWS STORY:
International Business Leaders Promote Ethical, Responsible Business Practices
The Caux Round Table offers guidelines to promote social, environmental and economic sustainability among corporations.

BOOK REVIEW:
Book Review: The Rise of Fiduciary Capitalism
The fiduciaries of large institutional investors are finding it is in their interest, as shareowners, to urge corporate social responsibility.

NEWS STORY:
ExxonMobil Feeling Heat on Both Sides of the Atlantic
Shareholder resolutions and boycotts put pressure on oil giant to change its stance on global warming and embrace clean energy.

NEWS STORY:
Citigroup Shareowner Resolutions Yield Mixed Results
Three of five resolutions achieve thresholds for resubmission next year.

NEWS STORY:
Environmental Groups Endorse Shareholder Resolutions
Environmental advocates ask for support for pro-environmental resolutions at a wide range of companies.

NEWS STORY:
California's Supreme Court to Decide Corporate Whitewash Trial
Suit charging Nike with false advertising regarding its labor practices has implications for corporate image advertising.

NEWS STORY:
BP Amoco Feeling Pressure on PetroChina Holdings
Protests held last week support a shareholder resolution demanding BP Amoco's divestiture from Chinese energy company.

NEWS STORY:
Friends Ivory & Sime Engages Companies on Human Rights
The London-based social investment firm launches a unique human rights initiative through dialogue with company management.

NEWS STORY:
Shareholders Bring Banks to Account for Three Gorges Dam
A resolution with three international lenders draws attention to their role in the environmental and human rights costs of China's colossal dam project.

NEWS STORY:
Walden Reflects on Going Global
Six months after launching the first socially responsible international index fund, Portfolio Manager Geeta Aiyer does not take the role of pioneer woman lightly.

NEWS STORY:
Shareholders Lean on Global Corporate Accountability
In shareholder resolutions pending for the 2000 proxy season, global human rights, vendor standards, and other issues of corporate accountability loom large.

NEWS STORY:
Sullivan Principles for Corporate Accountability Go Global
The author of the code of corporate behavior that ushered South Africa out of the Apartheid era brings his uncommon good sense to multinationals around the world.

NEWS STORY:
Advocates Muster to Support Massachusetts Burma Law
As the deadline for filing a brief of support with the Supreme Court approaches, human rights advocates urge their local and federal representatives to sign on.

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION

NEWS STORY: SHAREOWNER ACTION | SUSTAINABLE INVESTMENT

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