SocialFunds.com Daily news from Socialfunds.com covering socially responsible investing and corporate responsibility http://www.socialfunds.com Interview: Cary Krosinsky, Editor of Evolutions in Sustainable Investment By Robert Kropp. SocialFunds.com talks with Krosinsky about the challenges to as well as the inevitability of a mainstream uptake of sustainable investing strategies. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3442.html news@socialfunds.com Climate change Interviews/speeches Mutual fund performance Mutual fund profiles Sustainable business practices Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST States Require Insurers to Respond to Climate Risk Survey By Robert Kropp. California joins New York and Washington in requiring insurers that that write in excess of $300 million in premiums to respond to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Climate Risk Survey. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3441.html news@socialfunds.com Climate change Energy and environment Financials General Social Investing Shareholder activism Sustainability Reporting Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST A 30% Reduction in EU Emissions by 2020 will be Cheaper than Expected By Robert Kropp. Noting that emissions reductions reached 14% by 2010, the European Commission concludes that a 30% cut will cost less than anticipated, and the Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change calls for incentives to stimulate private investment. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3440.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Alternative energy Climate change Energy and environment Energy efficiency and conservation General Social Investing Green building or product design Shareholder activism Wed, 01 Feb 2012 08:00:00 EST Investors Team with Law Enforcement Professionals to Combat Sex Trafficking at Super Bowl By Robert Kropp. Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility members warn that child sex trafficking increases during large sporting events, and engage with Indianapolis hotels to raise awareness of the risk at this year's Super Bowl. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3439.html news@socialfunds.com Codes of conduct Equality Ethics policy and training Interviews/speeches Shareholder activism Transportation Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST UN Adaptation Database Highlights Corporate Sustainability Efforts By Robert Kropp. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change publishes an online database featuring case studies of climate change adaptation activities undertaken by private companies. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3438.html news@socialfunds.com Climate change Energy and environment General Social Investing Microlending Mutual fund profiles Shareholder activism Sustainable business practices Water conservation and quality Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Book Review: Evolutions in Sustainable Investing: Strategies, Funds and Thought Leadership By Robert Kropp. Trucost executive Cary Krosinsky edits a book of essays demonstrating that sustainable investment in an era of growing resource scarcity yields significant opportunities for portfolio outperformance. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3437.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Book Reviews Climate change Corporate governance Energy and environment Equality International Mutual fund profiles Shareholder activism Shareholder engagement Sustainability Reporting Sat, 28 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Shareowners File 40 Resolutions on Lobbying Expenditures by Corporations By Robert Kropp. Walden Asset Management leads a coalition of investors calling on companies to disclose both direct lobbying expenditures and indirect funding of lobbying through trade associations. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3436.html news@socialfunds.com Corporate governance General Social Investing Shareholder activism Shareholder engagement Sustainability Reporting Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST GRI Publishes Sustainability Guidance for Event Organizers By Robert Kropp. 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. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3435.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Codes of conduct Corporate governance Discrimination policies Energy and environment Equality General Social Investing Global accountability Health and safety Shareholder activism Sustainability Reporting Thu, 26 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Corporate Knights Publishes Eighth Annual Ranking of Sustainable Companies By Robert Kropp. Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk tops the 2012 Global 100 and the United Kingdom leads countries with 16 companies on list. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3434.html news@socialfunds.com Board diversity Global ethics International Minority and women business development Mutual fund performance Recruitment, employment Sustainability Reporting Sustainable business practices Workplace culture Wed, 25 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Ceres Aqua Gauge Helps Investors and Companies Manage Water Risk By Robert Kropp. As population growth and climate change make water risk management an issue for investors and companies to address without delay, the Ceres Aqua Gauge provides a framework for evaluating corporate strategies. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3433.html news@socialfunds.com Community development Energy and environment General Social Investing Shareholder activism Sustainability Reporting Water conservation and quality Tue, 24 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Harrington Investments Requests that Monsanto Report on GMOs By Robert Kropp. The chemical giant refuses to allow a proxy to speak on behalf of the shareowner resolution at tomorrow's annual general meeting, and Harrington joins in call for demonstrations. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3432.html news@socialfunds.com Consumer staples General Social Investing Health and safety International health and tobacco Product development Product quality and safety Shareholder activism Shareholder engagement Sustainability Reporting Mon, 23 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST On Second Anniversary of Citizens United, Coalition Calls on SEC to Mandate Disclosure By Robert Kropp. The Corporate Reform Coalition holds a press conference in which members express support for a petition requesting that the Securities and Exchange Commission establish rules mandating that public corporations disclose their political spending activities. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3431.html news@socialfunds.com Corporate governance General Social Investing Shareholder activism Shareholder engagement Sustainability Reporting Fri, 20 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Shareowner Activists Urge Siemens to Quit Chamber of Commerce By Robert Kropp. 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. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3430.html news@socialfunds.com Codes of conduct Corporate governance General Social Investing Global accountability Global ethics Shareholder activism Shareholder engagement Thu, 19 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Shareowners to Corporations: Say No to Political Expenditures By Robert Kropp. Trillium Asset Management and Green Century Capital Management file resolutions with Bank of America, 3M, and Target, requesting that they refrain from making political donations. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3429.html news@socialfunds.com Corporate governance General Social Investing Shareholder activism Shareholder engagement Sustainability Reporting Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Congressional Recipients of Oil Industry Money Overwhelmingly Support Controversial Pipeline By Robert Kropp. An analysis by MapLight reveals that of the 118 House members who report the oil and gas industry among their top ten contributors, only two voted against legislation calling for construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3428.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Climate change Energy Energy and environment General Social Investing Shareholder activism Utilities Tue, 17 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Investors Vow to Address Climate Change even as Congress Fails to Act By Robert Kropp. At the Investor Summit on Climate Risk & Energy Solutions, hosted by Ceres, institutional investors note progress in managing climate change in their portfolios, but warn that further action must be taken now. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3427.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Alternative energy Climate change Energy and environment Energy efficiency and conservation Interviews/speeches Shareholder activism Sustainability Reporting Sustainable business practices Mon, 16 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Emerging Markets Investors Advised to Factor for Cost of Carbon By Robert Kropp. SinCo and Trucost produce a report that identifies risks of a carbon tax to high-emitting companies, while analyzing the carbon footprints of South African equity funds. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3425.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Climate change Energy and environment International Shareholder activism Sustainability Reporting Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST EPA Launches Database of High Emitters By Robert Kropp. 2010 greenhouse gas emissions data reveals that power plants were the largest stationary sources of direct emissions, with 96 of them among the 100 facilities reporting the highest levels of emissions. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3426.html news@socialfunds.com Air emissions Climate change Energy Energy and environment General Social Investing Shareholder activism Sustainability Reporting Utilities Fri, 13 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Microsoft Says Worker Dispute at Foxconn Plant Resolved By Robert Kropp. Suicide threats by protesting workers at Chinese manufacturing plant recalls 2010 deaths of workers at another Foxconn plant in China. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3424.html news@socialfunds.com Codes of conduct Discrimination policies Equality General Social Investing Health and safety Health and safety Living wage Shareholder activism Technology Working hours Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST Investors Advised to Increase Climate-Sensitive Allocations and Engage with Companies and Policymakers on Climate Change By Robert Kropp. Mercer follows up groundbreaking 2011 study of the economic costs of climate change with a survey of the climate change-related investment strategies of institutional investors. http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/3423.html news@socialfunds.com Climate change Energy and environment General Social Investing Mutual fund performance Shareholder activism Sustainable business practices Wed, 11 Jan 2012 08:00:00 EST