http://www.cchange.net Covering the transformations to social, environment and economic sustainability Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:08:33 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Sea Change Radio covers the transformations to social, environmental, and economic sustainability. Change is accelerating in positive and negative directions: the clock is ticking in the race to see which will tip first—the problems or the solutions. Join Sea Change's Host, Alex Wise, as he provides in-depth analysis to help our audience understand possible remedies and potential pitfalls. Sea Change interviews sustainability experts including Paul Hawken, Stewart Brand, Bill McKibben, Van Jones, Lester Brown, and many others. Sea Change airs on over 30 radio stations around the country. Alex Wise clean Alex Wise awise@cchange.net awise@cchange.net (Alex Wise) 2007-2011 Making Connections for Sustainability Sustainability, Climate Change, Human Rights, Environment, Corporate Responsibility, Socially Responsible Investing, Accountability, Stakeholders, Clean Tech, Renewable Energy, Green Jobs, Wealth Divide http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/cwr-images-archive/SeaChangeRadioTAG_square144_sm.jpg http://www.cchange.net Weekly http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/investing-in-sustainability/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/investing-in-sustainability/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 01:32:28 +0000 Francesca Rheannon http://www.cchange.net/?p=330 http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/investing-in-sustainability/feed/ 1 Cary Krosinky,corporate governance,HSBC,human rights,interfaith center on corporate responsibility,John Ruggie,Nick Robins,responsible investing,Shareholder Engagement,shareowner activism,social investment forum,Sustainable Business Today, Sea Change Radio talks with Nick Robins of HSBC and Cary Krosinsky of Trucost about their book, Sustainable Investing.  We also visit the Responsible Investing Forum, produced in association with the Social Investment Forum, (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/nickrobins-150x150.jpg)(http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/carykrosinsky-150x150.jpg)Today, Sea Change Radio talks with Nick Robins of HSBC (http://www.hsbc.com/1/2/home) and Cary Krosinsky of Trucost (http://www.trucost.com/) about their book, Sustainable Investing (http://amapedia.amazon.com/view/Sustainable+Investing:+The+Art+of+Long+Term+Performance+(Environmental+Markets+Insights+Series)/id=930674).  We also visit the Responsible Investing Forum (http://www.iievents.com/event_details.asp?eventID=708518&expired=true), produced in association with the Social Investment Forum (http://www.socialinvest.org/), where we speak with Tim Smith of Walden Asset Management (http://www.waldenassetmgmt.com/) about shareowner activism and hear the excerpts from the keynote (http://www.reports-and-materials.org/Ruggie-address-to-Responsible-Invest-Forum-12-Jan-2009.pdf) of John Ruggie (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ruggie), the UN Special Representative on Business and Human Rights (http://www.business-humanrights.org/Gettingstarted/UNSpecialRepresentative). People have long considered the impact of their financial transactions on society and the planet. In the 1970s, the launch of the Pax World Balanced Fund formalized SRI, and the field has grown to where now, one in nine dollars is invested using SRI.  But as the world continues to change, so too does the SRI field.  In 2007, Joe Keefe and Julie Gorte of Pax World coined the term "sustainable investing" to describe a process based less on values, and more on the value created by investing in a sustainable world.  In our conversation with Cary Krosinsky and Nick Robins, we explore the distinctions and commonalities between SRI and sustainable investing. Francesca Rheannon clean http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/news-analysis-tim-smith-shareowner-activism/ http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/news-analysis-tim-smith-shareowner-activism/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 00:24:20 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/?p=334 http://www.cchange.net/2009/01/14/news-analysis-tim-smith-shareowner-activism/feed/ 1 Climate Change,interfaith center on corporate responsibility,securities and exchange commission,Shareholder Engagement,shareholder resolutions,shareowner activism,Sustainable Public Policy Tim Smith, an early innovators of shareowner activism in the 1970s, analyzes this year's proxy season. Smith was head of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. ICCR practically invented the process of filing shareholder resolutions at com... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/timsmith1.jpg) Tim Smith, an early innovators of shareowner activism in the 1970s, analyzes this year's proxy season. Smith was head of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (http://www.iccr.org/). ICCR practically invented the process of filing shareholder resolutions at companies they invest in raising concern around the environmental, society, and governance -- now known as ESG. For years, he attended companies' general meetings during proxy season when investors vote on shareholder resolutions. In the early 2000s, when Sea Change Co-Host Bill Baue wrote for SocialFunds.com (http://www.socialfunds.com/), he often interviewed Smith, who chaired the Social Investment Forum (http://www.socialinvest.org/), the socially responsible investing trade association. Smith remains active in shareowner activism as senior vice president of the ESG group at Walden Asset Management (http://www.waldenassetmgmt.com/) in Boston. Baue caught up with Smith earlier this week in New York City at the Responsible Investing Forum (http://www.iievents.com/event_details.asp?eventID=708518&expired=true). There, Smith discussed the current batch of shareholder resolutions coming to vote this proxy season. In particular, he discussed a resolution Walden filed at State Street (http://www.statestreet.com/), a Boston-based bank, to review its proxy voting record and guidelines. The resolution was sparked in part by a report (http://www.ceres.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=879&srcid=705) Baue co-authored in 2008 for Ceres (http://www.ceres.org/) characterizing State Street as "schizophrenic" for promoting some of its investment products that address climate change but voting against every single climate change resolution in all its holdings. Smith is perplexed at the no-action letter (http://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2008/waldenasset122408-14a8-incoming.pdf) State Street sent to the US Securities and Exchange Commission requesting permission to omit the resolution from its proxy ballot this year. Disclosure: Sea Change Media is producing podcasts for ICCR. Bill Baue clean http://www.cchange.net/2008/03/05/past-present-and-future-of-shareowner-activism/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/03/05/past-present-and-future-of-shareowner-activism/#comments Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:57:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2008/03/05/interfaith-center-on-corporate-responsibility-defines-past-present-and-future-of-shareowner-activism/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/03/05/past-present-and-future-of-shareowner-activism/feed/ 0 Climate Change,corporate social responsibility,corporate sustainability,corporate watchdog,interfaith center on corporate responsibility,new york times,shareowner activism Corporate Watchdog Radio co-hosts Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue speak with Laura Berry, executive director of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. Founded in 1971, ICCR pioneered the modern practice of shareowner activism by reviving ... Corporate Watchdog Radio co-hosts Francesca Rheannon and Bill Baue speak with Laura Berry, executive director of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility. Founded in 1971, ICCR pioneered the modern practice of shareowner activism by reviving an obscure rule allowing shareowners to file resolutions addressing social and environmental issues at company annual meetings and on their proxies. Now, over three-and-a-half decades later, ICCR is a coalition of about 275 faith-based institutional investors with over $100 billion in assets who filed over 300 resolutions this proxy season. Berry clarifies common misconceptions about how the ins and outs of shareowner activism. For example, media accounts often report a less-than-majority vote as a "defeat," when in fact, companies often implement what resolutions request when they receive 20 percent or more support. She also discusses transformations she sees taking place in the corporate social responsibility landscape. CWR also debuts a new segment with headlines on corporate sustainability developments from the past week, the first in a series of exciting changes to enhance the show. Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (http://www.iccr.org/) Edited transcript of this interview on SocialFunds.com (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/2487.html) CWR HEADLINES: February 27, 2008 Geophysical Research Letters abstract: "Stabilizing climate requires near-zero emissions" February 29, 2008 Reuters article: "Weyerhaeuser, Chevron Form Biofuels Joint Venture" February 28, 2008 Gristmill blog on "Stabilizing climate requires near-zero emissions" (http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/2/28/134525/930) February 27, 2008 New York Times article: "Flooded Village Files Suit, Citing Corporate Link to Climate Change" Bill Baue clean 28:15 http://www.cchange.net/2008/02/27/activist-investors-promote-genocide-free-mutual-funds/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/02/27/activist-investors-promote-genocide-free-mutual-funds/#comments Wed, 27 Feb 2008 15:32:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2008/02/27/activist-investors-promote-genocide-free-mutual-funds/ http://www.cchange.net/2008/02/27/activist-investors-promote-genocide-free-mutual-funds/feed/ 0 EPA,Eric Cohen,human rights,interfaith center on corporate responsibility,shareowner activism,sudan,sudan divestment,Tim Smith CWR co-hosts Bill Baue and Francesca Rheannon speak with Eric Cohen, chairperson for Investors against Genocide and Tim Smith, senior vice president at Walden Asset Management and immediate past chair of the Social Investment Forum, CWR co-hosts Bill Baue and Francesca Rheannon speak with Eric Cohen, chairperson for Investors against Genocide and Tim Smith, senior vice president at Walden Asset Management and immediate past chair of the Social Investment Forum, about the campaign promoting targeted divestment by mutual funds from companies supporting the Khartoum regime in the Sudan. Smith, who helped pioneer the practice of shareholder activism encouraging companies to adopt more sustainable and responsible practices as a founder of the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, discusses the novelty and efficacy of engaging mutual funds, which has rarely been practiced until now. Cohen explains the strategy in-depth, noting that the SEC upheld its validity after mutual fund giant Fidelity challenged it legally. He also cites a 2007 survey in which 71% of respondents said that mutual fund companies should take into account extreme cases of human rights abuses when investing overseas, rather than make their investment decisions on economic criteria alone. edited transcript of this interview on SocialFunds.com (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article2478.html) Investors against Genocide (http://investorsagainstgenocide.googlepages.com/) Fidelity Confirms Vote on Genocide-free Investing (http://www.csrwire.com/News/11188.html) Walden Asset Management (http://www.waldenassetmgmt.com/) Social Investment Forum (http://www.socialinvest.org/) Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (http://www.iccr.org/) July 5, 2006 edition of CWR: "Sudan Divestment" (http://corporatewatchdogmedia.blogspot.com/2006/07/sudan-divestment.html) May 22, 2007 SocialFunds article: "Fidelity Divests Large Chunk of Sudan-Related Holdings" (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/2299.html) July 21, 2006 SocialFunds article: "Filing Resolutions at Mutual Funds: The Next Frontier for Shareowner Activism?" (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/2062.html) March 9, 2006 SocialFunds article: "Sudan Presents Investment Risk as Genocidal Regime and State Sponsor of Terrorism" (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/1950.html) June 1, 2005 SocialFunds article: "Students and States Seek to End Genocide in Sudan Through Divestment Campaigns" (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article1722.html) December 10, 2004 SocialFunds article: "Divesting From Genocide: A Conversation with Eric Reeves of the Divest Sudan Campaign" December 14, 2004 SocialFunds article: "Divesting from Genocide: More Conversation with Eric Reeves of the Divest Sudan Campaign" (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/article1589.html) Bill Baue clean 27:22 http://www.cchange.net/2006/08/15/shareowner-activism-promotes-peace-in-israel-and-palestine/ http://www.cchange.net/2006/08/15/shareowner-activism-promotes-peace-in-israel-and-palestine/#comments Tue, 15 Aug 2006 23:46:00 +0000 Bill Baue http://www.cchange.net/2006/08/15/shareowner-activism-promotes-peace-in-israel-and-palestine/ http://www.cchange.net/2006/08/15/shareowner-activism-promotes-peace-in-israel-and-palestine/feed/ 0 citigroup,human rights,israel palestine conflict,jewish voice for peace,motorolla,presbyterian church usa,shareowner activism,united technologies Cecilie Surasky of Jewish Voice for Peace and Michael Passoff of the As You Sow Foundation discuss the shareowner resolution they filed with Caterpillar over the Israeli Defense Forces' use of their bulldozers to commit human rights abuses in the occup... (http://www.cchange.net/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/Cecilie-Surasky-150x150.jpg)Cecilie Surasky of Jewish Voice for Peace and Michael Passoff of the As You Sow Foundation discuss the shareowner resolution they filed with Caterpillar over the Israeli Defense Forces' use of their bulldozers to commit human rights abuses in the occupied territories. Bill Somplatsky-Jarman of the Presbyterian Church USA discusses how its Mission Responsibility Through Investment committee is engaging Caterpillar, Citigroup, Motorolla, United Technologies, and ITT to promote peaceful solutions to the conflict between Israel and Palestine. SocialFunds article: Semantics and Semitics: Presbyterian Church Investment to Focus on Israeli-Palestinian Peace (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/2042.html) SocialFunds article: Caterpillar Bulldozes Shareowner Concern Over Aiding Alleged Israeli War Crimes (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/1671.html) SocialFunds article: To Divest or Not to Divest: Ethical Considerations of Addressing the Israel-Palestine Conflict (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/1604.html) SocialFunds article: Addressing the Israel-Palestine Conflict Through Shareowner Action and Selective Divestment (http://www.socialfunds.com/news/article.cgi/1605.html) Bill Baue clean 29:00