Tag Archives: esg

Tim Schwab: Charity and the Billionaire Class

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Are billionaire-backed philanthropies making the world a better place or are they pernicious sleeper cells? The answer may be one of those “both/and” situations rather than an “either/or.” This week on Sea Change Radio, we examine philanthropic giving with journalist Tim Schwab who investigates high-profile entities like the Gates Foundation, that are working for positive impact but funded by the billionaire class. We peel back the layers on these types of organizations with a particular eye toward their funding of independent media, and explore the question, “Are foundations vestiges of a colonialist mindset offering scraps from the master’s table or are actually important vessels for change?”Read the show transcript

Graham Sinclair on Sustainable Financial Markets

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There is a nearly constant scroll of bad news passing before our eyes, from rampant income inequality and raging wildfires to climate devastation and white nationalists in the Oval Office. Somehow, though, the stock market just keeps chugging along. Corporate profits are up, so in the eyes of the average news consumer, the economy is “strong.” But what factors are we missing in this declaration of strength? This week on Sea Change Radio, we discuss the state of the financial services industry with Graham Sinclair, who has worked in the field for over a decade. He helps people who are hell-bent on maximizing profits start to take other things into account, like social justice and the environment. Sinclair tells us what resonates with these financial services professionals, what trends he sees in the industry, and what gives him hope about it moving forward.

John Wilson: Corporate Governance and the LGBT Movement

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JohnWilsonCalories and sustainability issues aside, would you eat at Chick-fil-A despite the publicly anti-gay positions of its owners? Would a corporation’s discriminatory employment policies deter you from buying shares in it? Millions of Americans have changed their consumer habits based on whether they perceive corporations to be behaving in socially responsible ways. This week on Sea Change Radio, host Alex Wise speaks with John Wilson, the Head of Corporate Governance at Cornerstone Capital Group, about the how the fight for LGBT equality has seeped into mainstream corporate America. They discuss the religious roots of the corporate social responsibility movement, talk about how religion and progressive values are squaring off in North Carolina’s civil rights battle, and contemplate the impact of the most profitable company in the world being led by a proudly gay man.

Stewards of Other People’s Money… and The Planet

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Socially responsible capitalism – is this an oxymoron? Not according to this week’s guest on Sea Change Radio. Graham Sinclair is a South African sustainable investment consultant and the President of the Africa Sustainable Investment Forum. Money managers like him attract conscientious investors, using the tools of capitalism to pressure corporations to be more socially responsible. Today, Sinclair talks about the past and future of sustainable investing, and what it means for corporations, investors and consumers. Host Alex Wise also discusses with Sinclair the particular importance of socially responsible investment strategies in developing countries.

Socially Responsible Investment Community Reacts to BP Deepwater Disaster

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“Man is not imprisoned by habit. Great changes in him can be wrought by crisis — once that crisis can be recognized and understood.” -author Norman Cousins

Sea Change Radio’s Alex Wise and CEO of Sustainability Risk Advisors, Mark Tulay, examine if there is a silver lining to what many are calling the greatest environmental disaster in history unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico. Read the show transcript

Democratizing the SEC — to Address Sustainability

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Sea Change Radio Host Bill Baue talks with Adam Kanzer of Domini Social Investments about the new SEC Investor Advisory Committee, on which he represents the socially responsible investing (SRI) community.  SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro established the committee as one of her first initiatives after taking the helm of the Commission in 2009.  In the NewsAnalysis, Sea Change Headlines Anchor Tania Haldar Hart discusses conservative backlash against the interpretive guidance the SEC recently issued on requirements for companies to disclose risks from climate change.

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