Here’s a sneak preview of our new print issue, due out next week. In the Christmas edition we’re analysing moves by Chevron, Asda, Trafigura, BSkyB and The Body Shop. Plus, we analyse the new campaign against drink sponsorship of sport by the British Medical Association and review the Carbon Disclosure Project to date.
The Christmas edition also has our eagerly awaited review of Ethical themes of 2009 and what to watch out for in 2010. Not to be missed
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EthicsWatch: news analysis section
Copenhagen – what will happen?
• What are the prospects for a deal in Copenhagen?
• What might it look like?
• Who are the potential heroes and villains?
• Forestry seems to be a re-emerging issue. Why?
The UK Carbon reduction commitment (CRC)
• UK’s obligatory cap-and-trade scheme for companies goes live in 2010
• Background to which companies will be affected
• How big are the costs involved?
• How is the CRC being received by companies? Who’s for and against?
Chevron and Ecuador: A contentious environmental legal action
• The background to the controversial pollution case, and the latest developments
• What’s the likely result, and what are the possible implications for Chevron, and other companies with potential historic environmental and human rights liabilities?
Sustainable disaster relief: How it can work
• Advance Aid, an NGO, advocates producing relief goods where disasters likely to happen
• We look at the benefits of the this approach vs. how relief tends to operate now.
• New report from Cardiff Business School backs this AA’s method. What are the strengths and limitations, according to the academics?
Features section
Ethical themes of 2009 – A review of the year
• Has it been a year for campaigners and companies working together? We’ve seen Mars and Rainforest Alliance; Kimberly-Clark and Greenpeace; Starbucks and Fairtrade and the leather industry and Greenpeace all collaborating
• What’s to watch out of for in 2010? An analysis of emerging and important trends
Drinks and sport sponsorship
The British Medical Association in the UK has called for a ban on drinks companies sponsoring any sport. Some big drink giants are taking the initiative and pulling out of sponsoring motor sport, for example Brown-Forman and Nascar in the US.
• Who are the big international drinks companies and how heavily are they involved in sports sponsorship?
• Should drinks companies sponsor sport at all? We look at sports involving driving in particular
• Are there significant reputational benefits for a drinks company voluntarily pulling out of sponsorship? What are the views of the big drinks companies?
Facilitation payments and bribery
• New survey by TRACE says that banning facilitation payments would make no difference to doing business in developing nations
• Facilitation payments still permitted by some countries. Why? And are they likely to be made illegal?
• Wider anti-corruption issues are analysed such as SEC now starting to fine individual directors for bribery.
Strategy & Management section
Trafigura and the Ivory Coast toxic dumping
• What happened when, and the immediate implications for people in Ivory Coast.
• How did Trafigura’s respond? And what are the implications for future corporate liability.
• Why did Trafigura try to gag the UK press reporting questions in parliament? And what are the reputational implications?
The Carbon Disclosure Project
• Background to the CDP. Why was it set up and what does it do?
• Who are the big achievers in the new report, which sectors are doing well and why have they had this success?
• Who has not delivered their forecasted results?
Supply chain traceability
• Why is traceability in the supply chain important? Especially for major brands.
• What other practical ways are there that companies can bring traceability to their supply chains?
• How does paper trail traceability work? And what about radio frequency identification?
Asda’s new Democratic Consumerism initiative
• Customers are being encouraged to offer comments on the way the company does business and what it sells.
• Why has Asda set this up? How will this work? What will consumers be able to influence?
• Do consumers really want this access? What do consumer groups say about it?
• What are Asda’s competitors doing in response to this?
Columnists
Greenwasher hands out his hypocrite of the year award, once again
Mallen Baker’s usual piece of common sense
Peter Knight’s letter from America
Paul French’s China column
The Contrarian: Jon Entine’s last word
Plus (new)
Corporate responsibility Watch – the latest news and gossip from corporate responsibility and sustainability initiatives, NGOs, consultancies and the voluntary sector.
Review section
Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Reports:
BSkyB – How is the company responding to the sustainability agenda?
Body Shop – A company seeking innovation in reporting. How have they fared?
Business school bulletin: A round up of useful and practical academic papers
New books for readers.
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