NEWS SUMMARY - 1/9-1/16

Global regulation took center stage last week:

• The recently-appointed UN Sec-Gen Ban Ki-Moon addressed business leaders in New York (“Business Community and UN Must Carry On Partnership”; UN News Center; 01/10/07)
  
• The United Nations Development Program announced an eight-country responsible-business project in Europe (“EC, UNDP Promote Responsible Business”; UNDP Newsroom; 01/11/07).
  
• Ethical Corporation takes a step back to examine the usefulness of international law in CSR implementation (“Ultimate Governance”; 01/11/07)
• Several major multinational retailers have voluntarily agreed to cooperate on supply-chain labor standards worldwide (“Big Retailers Join Forces”; Financial Times; 01/11/07).

In socially-responsible investing...

• Domini charts new territory by creating two new funds focused outside the traditional investment geography; they are the “PacAsia” and “EuroPacific” Social Equity Funds (“New Domini Funds Invest in the World”; SocialFunds.com; 01/11/07)

In company news...

• Bill and Melinda Gates had a busy week, as their Foundation prepares to engage in a wholesale review of investments following accusations that it funds the very social ills it seeks to repair (“Gates Foundation May Shift Billions”; The Guardian; 01/12/07); meanwhile, back at the office, Bill Gates is promoting Dell’s new tree-planting program (“Dell Unveils ‘Plant a Tree for Me’”) and encouraging other computer manufacturers to follow his lead in offering free recycling (“Dell Says Plant a Tree, Help the Envirnoment"; New York Times; 01/09/07)
• Wal-Mart is also maintaining a steady stream of positive press, despite the recent fake blog scandal: a new set of TV ads touts the feel-good values of “Sam’s Dream” (Adweek, 01/09/07), and the Financial Times discusses the retailer’s recent efforts to develop a more fuel-efficient fleet (“Wal-Mart to Develop Hybrid Truck Venture”). Meanwhile, the conservative Townhall.com has the retailer in its sights for being too engaged in socially responsible practices (“Shining the Light…”; Townhall.com; 01/13/06).
• General Motors seems to be leaping into the market for alternative-fuel vehicles with its development-stage Volt, an electric car that will contain both a battery and an on-board generator (“GM Looks To Electric Car To Spark Revival”; The Guardian; 01/08/07).

Finally, in academic news...

• The Stanford Social Innovation Review contains an in-depth article, co-authored by social enterprise guru Jim Austin, on the trend toward blending the private and social sectors (“Capitalizing on Convergence”) - a trend also noted recently by my college at 1Bloc ("Sector Blending"; 01/02/07).
• Knowledge@Wharton examines whether and when corporate philanthropy increases profits ("Corporate Philanthropy Inspires Trust; Does it Also Prompt Higher Profits?"; 01/10/07), with attention paid to the differences between 1) industries that are more competitive versus more oligopolistic/monopolistic, and 2) industries that rely more or less on marketing to drive their profits.