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“... Thanks again for the great insight you and the other lecturers have provided in the course. It has been of great value.”

CSR Manager, Travel agency

Join us for our next CSR Thursday Lunch

With Dr. Bérangère Magarinos-Ruchat, Vice-President Sustainability Partnerships, Firmenich

Hotel Warwick, 31 May 2012, 12h00-14h00

Information and REGISTRATION

Since 1995 Dr. Magarinos-Ruchat has been researching, designing and managing international public private partnerships.

She joined the United Nations System Staff College in 1998. As project officer, and later Manager of the Partners in Action Program, she helped create awareness about the potential of UN-business partnerships to meet development challenges. She conducted learning workshops with UN and Business leaders in more than 20 countries, helping the process of taking the UN Global Compact at the local level.

In 2004 Bérangère joined GAIN, the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. At GAIN she served in different management positions including Director of Partnerships. In that position she created the GAIN Business Alliance, a global network of 16 global food companies committed to improving malnutrition.

In 2010 Berry joined Firmenich, the largest privately owned company in the fragrances and flavors industry, as Director of Sustainability Partnerships and became Vice President Sustainability Partnerships in October 2011.

Berry has a PhD in International Relations from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, New York and a postgraduate degree from Cambridge University in Cross-sector Partnerships Management. Her PhD thesis focused on the role of UN-Business Partnerships in the UN reform.

June 2012 Executive Summer Course on
"CSR and Sustainable International Development"

CSR Executive Summer Course - June 2012

The Executive Summer Course focuses on International Development as well as covering some of the main aspects of CSR & Sustainability.

It will provide participants with a broad understanding of CSR with the aim to make it practical in different strategic and operational environments.

The diploma will have a self-paced online introductory e-learning module, developed in conjunction with the United Nations, followed by 4 intensive modules from 26 to 29 June.

CSR CAS alumni presented on career in CSR at the Graduate Institute

Geneva, 26 April 2012 - Two alumni of the University of Geneva's Certificate of Advanced Studies in CSR executive program, Esther Bares (CAS 2010) and Dr Christophe Berdat (CAS 2011), both also alumni of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, presented their work, their employer, and their career path since their graduation from the Institute. They provided advice on pursuing a career in the field of corporate social responsibility or public affairs.

Esther BARES
Esther Bares (CAS 2010) is a Corporate Sustainability Coordinator at SGS. She started her career in the field of Human Rights working for an international NGO based in Geneva. She then joined the development and humanitarian branch of that same organisation focusing on project planning, monitoring and evaluation, project coordination, communications and human rights and travelled to many challenging areas. Interested in other aspects of social responsibility she then took up a position as a research assistant in a global trade union focusing on labour relations. In parallel she pursued training in the field of CSR before starting to work on corporate sustainability for SGS.

Dr Christophe BERDAT
Dr Christophe Berdat (CAS 2011) is Regulatory Affairs and Media Relations Manager for British American Tobacco Switzerland. He has managed regulatory affairs for BAT since 2008, setting the strategic regulatory objectives of the company. During the same period, he also completed an Executive MBA and a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Corporate Social Responsibility at Geneva University. Prior to BAT, he was the Secretary General of the Swiss Liberal Party for six years, in parallel of which he completed his PhD at the Graduate Institute.

What hasn't Goldman Sachs learned that Sustainable Finance has?

CSR Thursday Lunch, Geneva, 19 April 2012 - Robert Rubinstein, Founder and CEO of Triple Bottom Line Group, has, for the past 15 years, been trying to convince the financial sector to adopt ESG (environmental, social and governance) principles to earn money while not making things worse.

In his colorful speech illustrated with videos and photos, he showed that economic growth through a business as usual approach that follows a linear growth in a resource-constrained world might be impossible.*

To sustain development, it is imperative to improve efficiencies. Unless we pursue this objective, we are bound for global resource conflicts: "we need less hunters and more farmers," he said. There is a lack of leadership in dealing with the real issues noting that the last big oil field discovery was the North Sea and that water is becoming increasingly scarce.

To get the financial sector's buy in, it needs to see "what's in it for them." The main drivers are self-interest opportunity, money flows and ... pain (or managing risks).

One of the main issues is that markets are not a level playing field and that several products do not reflect their true cost, for instance because of subsidies.

Mr Rubinstein also stressed that belief is more important than proof. As long as the few key decision-makers within financial industry are not committed the situation will not improve, even if it is relatively easy for finance to move its capital.

A real obstacle comes in fact from industry where many stranded assets, especially in industries like cement, chemicals or steel, are difficult to write off.

The organizer of the TBLI conferences told the audience that the main values underlying socially responsible investment were transparency, accountability and openness. These should not be perceived as a hindrance to business. Quoting French philosopher, Albert Camus, he said that "integrity has no need of rules".

SRI has gained prominence over the past ten years. It still has great strides to make but, even from a purely profit-making perspective, this is where the future lies.

Regarding Goldman Sachs, they are still in conventional territory. For instance, their traders as well as the media are all obsessed with what the Dow Jones did today: is it up? Is it down? But more and more, no-one looks at that in the SRI investment community: it would be like watching the scoreboard while playing basketball!

*We, at the University of Geneva, have a slightly different perspective on this issue see: http://mhcinternational.com/images/stories/population.pdf

ISO 26,000 address by the head of ISO at the University of Geneva/MHCi monthly CSR lunch

CSR Thursday Lunch, Geneva, 22 March 2012 - Rob Steele, Secretary General of the International Standards Organisation (ISO), conducted a lively session in front of 40 participants, and several overseas listeners via Skype, on March 22nd at the Warwick Hotel. He addressed the topic on whether ISO 26000 on social responsibility was too complicated.

He did not agree since he thought that ISO 26,000 was a great document summarizing a number of very important and broad-ranging issues. It deals with these, he stated, in a simple, clear and straightforward way. Nevertheless, he noted that the notion of social responsibility was very far-reaching.

Although not meant to be a verifiable standard and intended essentially for guidance, it has already achieved widespread appeal - 53 countries have either adopted it, or are planning to, while around 10,000 standards have been sold and another 10,000 actively sent out.

The CSR research and activities at the University of Geneva with MHCi plan to be even more involved with ISO 26000 in the future and the standard forms part of both research and teaching activities. The University of Geneva MBA is focusing on standards and we are certainly involved.

Our CSR program can be taken as part of an MBA and has so far been used in the overall MBA as well as in the International Organisation MBA. We do try and coordinate our efforts.

We also have ventures with the George Mason and Marymount Universities in the United States, the Dublin City University in Ireland, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, where we run an online CSR course that features ISO 26000, plus several others in emerging market economies.

Seeds for Successful Transformation 2012: the Value of Values in Responsible Business

Global Ethics Forum 2012, 28 - 30 June, Geneva

The current crises show that fundamental transformation in the economy, business, politics, civil society and culture, is happening and is needed. But how can this transformation take place based on credible values? And how can the ‘seeds for successful transformation’ be planted in companies and institutions that could benefit from concrete value-based changes in their culture and practice?

The Global Ethics Forum conference 2012 will bring together decision makers and experts from the private, public, academic and civil society sectors from all continents. Plenary panels lead to interactive workshops on concrete cases and proposals for ethical transformation.

The 4th Certificate of Advanced Studies Awards Ceremony

The award ceremony of the 2011 class for the Certificate in Advanced Studies in Corporate Social Responsibility was held on 1 October 2011.

On that occasion, a special lecture was given by Prof. Dr. Guy Standing, Professor of Economic Security at the University of Bath (UK) and a founder member and co-president of the Basic Income Earth Network (BIEN) that promotes a basic income for all. Prof. Standing led the team that encouraged President Lula to adopt a basic income for 42 million Brazilians and dozens of other countries are also interested including India and France.

George Mason University Launches First Annual CSR Seminar

March 2011 - Representatives from Best Buy, Northrop Grumman, Intel, the US Small Business Administration, Helios and the US Chamber of Commerce, met for a week long seminar at The Mason Inn Conference Center on the campus of George Mason University to discuss and debate ways to implement laws, ethical standards, and international norms into corporate decision-making.

Hosted by Dr. Michael Hopkins, Director of MHC International based in Geneva Switzerland, the group focused on understanding the different aspects of CSR and Sustainable Development with the goal of making CSR initiatives practical in strategic and operational environments.

George Mason’s initial CSR related week-long event also hosted CSRwire’s CEO Joe Sibilia, and VP Michael O’Connor. Sibilia strongly urged the audience to look at CSR initiatives as broader than philantrophy, “Being philanthropic does not address the core sustainability challenge companies face. It’s not just about giving away the money you make – it’s about how you make your money every day.”

GMU is currently ranked 80th out of 1700 Business Schools in the US and its new conference center, coupled with its innovative CSR initiatives, is likely to propel it further in the rankings. It was determined that CSR indeed, adds substantial value to a company’s net worth, and it was presented that more than 80% of a companies’ share price is generated by reputation and not purely physical assets. Increasingly, companies’ decision-makers believe in the ability of CSR initiatives to enhance corporate reputations and attract, retain and motivate employees, attract loyal talent, increase shareholder value and reduce risks.

The red herring that CSR is simply a cost and set of transfers to a miscellaneous set of philanthropic projects was soundly defeated. CSR is now seen as a systems-wide approach to managing a company, NGO or government agency to cope with today’s new concerns of responsibility and transparency. Philanthropy from a corporation is not enough.

The business community continues to be challenged by the lack of CSR in such institutions as Enron, WorldCom, Madoff, Lehman Brothers and the financial institutions of Wall Street. It was also noted that public institutions such as US Department of Defense are increasingly under suspicion, as it is feared the military-industrial complex may be driving the US into more harm for the sake of profits, and not defense. GMU is located in one of the wealthiest counties in the US, Fairfax County, home to defense contractors and many Fortune 500 companies. The Fairfax Chamber of Commerce was well represented at the GMU event with its President, Jim Corcoran, along with board members from Northrop Grumman and Helios. Best Buy encouraged participants with its work in Haiti. Ralph Titus, Best Buy supply manager, illustrated how Best Buy had helped to set up organized supply chains among post-earthquake havoc and disorganization. Several attendees at the seminar remarked that had they known Best Buy was doing such good work, they would only buy their electronics at Best Buy.

With ambitious plans for GMU, Michael Hopkins relayed the remarkable success he has had in setting up a European CSR Center in Switzerland. Starting from ground zero in 2008, his center now has more applicants than positions available in their CSR programs. Next up for GMU is a series of one-day seminars on specific CSR issues, such as CSR and Finance, CSR and Human Resource Management, CSR and the Defense Industry, etc. Stay tuned!

CSR is no longer a 'bolt-on' activity

Only companies that put corporate social responsibility at the heart of their business will continue to prosper, says Sandra Macleod

Read more

Welcome to Zadek's world

Responsible business has moved from the margins to the mainstream. It not just demonstrated by unusual companies and leaders, but has been adopted into standards and responsibilities that influence corporate governance. Issues such as climate change go to the heart of business strategy, and the response is no longer exclusively a ‘north Atlantic’ preserve, but connects emerging powerhouses including Brazil, China, India, and South Africa.

These changes in the business of sustainability and governance are taking place at an historic moment of shifting global power. This is the ‘fourth generation’ that I described in the opening chapter of the second edition of my award-winning book, The Civil Corporation. It is the nexus that will define, for better and worse, our collective future and that of our children and their descendants.

This has been the focus of my work for two decades, explored in the introduction to an anthology of my writings, Tomorrow’s History. I have been privileged to work with amazing people who have catalyzed institutions, from The Body Shop to the Chinese Government to do things beyond their intended design or imagination. I have led a number of organisations, including the New Economics Foundation and until recently AccountAbility. I am working independently and with a constellation of institutions, notably as non-resident Senior Fellow at Harvard University, Senior Fellow at the International Institute of Sustainable Development and Honorary Professor at the University of South Africa.

www.zadek.net enables you to explore my projects, read my blog, my other publications and view media coverage of what I am up to, as well as connect to my other partners and collaborators. Let me know what you think of the site and its contents, ways in which you would like to engage and ways in which the site, and my work, can be improved.

Simon Zadek

Is sport socially responsible?

Mrs Michelle Lemaitre, responsible of the Olympic Games Impact study, Olympic Legacy, Environment/Sustainability projects and Olympic Torch Relay at the International Olympic Committee, and Mr William Gaillard, Advisor to the President at UEFA, participated in our CSR RoundTable on 26 June 2010 on the issue of "Is Sport Socially Responsible?"

The Corporate Responsibility Salary Survey report now available.

The CR Salary Survey, now in its third year, aims to add clarity and transparency to the roles, salaries and backgrounds of the professionals working in this space.

This year, we've took the survey global. The Report now provides the most timely and accurate picture of how the industry looks on the ground, from those people working day-to-day in Corporate Responsibility around the world.

The online survey was completed by nearly 600 CR professionals worldwide through out January and February and this year's results are some of the most exciting ever. Here is a snapshot from the Report:

- 595 people participated in the survey: 72% describing themselves as
working in-house and the remainder working as consultants for external
clients
- 46% participants live in the UK, 25% in North America, 16% in the Rest
of Europe and 13% from Rest of the World (South America, Africa, Asia
and Australia).
- While women continue to outnumber men in the sector (56% of
participants were female). There is no evidence that the pay gap
identified in previous surveys is narrowing.
- Median salary fell within a range of $85-90k, with highest average
salaries in North America
- Top 5 job functions for those working in-house: Reporting,
Environment, Community Investment, Climate Change and Stakeholder
Engagement
- Top 5 job functions for consultants: Reporting, Audit/Assurance,
Stakeholder Engagement, Climate Change and External Marketing
- Respondents appear to be satisfied with their jobs and 80% felt as or
more secure in their role compared with 12 months ago

For the full report which includes a more detailed breakdown of CR
salaries, bonuses and benefits across job levels and around the world,
the opportunity to read commentary by top CR professionals and much more
please go to http://www.crsalarysurvey.com

Investissement durable : approche de gestion (et non classe d'actifs)

Read Graham Sinclair's article published in L'Agefi newspaper on 15 April 2010