Corporate Citizenship

It seems that elephants are not the only ones to never forget.
People too are quick to recall events long past – especially when they are associated with good or bad memories.
There is a long list of corporate scandals that still resonate today. Union Carbide 1984, the Herald of Free Enterprise 1987, the Exxon Valdez 1989, [...]

As a parent, I’ve picked up a few lessons about leading by example.
The simple truth is that if you want to be respected, then how you behave counts for everything.
Great ideas and fine words might win the battle in an intellectual debate. But if you want people to trust and admire you, then you have [...]

Self regulation of industry is always a contentious issue. If business is seen to be part of the problem (or worse still, considered to be the direct cause of society’s woes) how can it possibly play a role in trying to craft a solution? The cynics will always argue that deep rooted self-interest will mean [...]

George Bernard Shaw famously once said that, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” It appears that those who are pushing to make the world a more sustainable place could learn from this maxim.
As yet another environmental label is launched we report that “green fatigue” has overtaken the [...]

It is widely accepted that the causes of climate change are complex and diverse. At the same time, it seems that the mechanisms by which companies are held to account for their contribution to global warming are also proliferating. Alongside green taxes, carbon trading schemes and environmental legislation, business is now facing increasing pressure from [...]

The world of corporate responsibility and sustainable development is – like all other management disciplines – populated with its own jargon. Whether we like it or not, some of this obscure terminology has passed into (relatively) common usage.
The concept of “glocal” neatly describes the need for a multinational company to operate to a set of [...]

Two of the news items in this section highlight important trends – consumers are asking for more information on the environmental impact of the goods they buy, and indicating they are willing to pay more for green products. Does this reinforce the emergence of a new type of “green consumer”? Possibly, yes. However, if this [...]

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to work with UNICEF in Jordan. I was helping to run a seminar for senior representatives across the Middle East and North Africa. The aim was to explore how UNICEF can broaden and strengthen its partnerships with the private sector to deliver its strategic goals – achieving sustainable [...]