NEWS SUMMARY -- 1/16-1/21

It seems that everyone took a couple of weeks to wake up from their holidays, but now the world wide web is overflowing with interesting CSR news. Here is a start on some of the most interesting issues and articles:

• As the United Nations makes the transition to new leadership under Sec-Gen Bank Ki-Moon, it will be just as focused on CSR (“United Nations Underlines Supports for Corporate Social Responsibility” CSRwire 1/17). In fact, the UN will even be expanding the Global Compact to include schools who pledge to make CSR part of their curricula (see “A degree of ethical leadership” Financial Express 1/18).
• In the wake of the Fortune survey of workplace satisfaction, the week’s news had a distinct bent toward employees. The most relevant of the magazine’s special section may be “Best employers, great returns” (Fortune 1/18); also, another survey shows that “In the War for Talent, Good Companies Finish First” (CSRwire 1/22). Finally, Diversity Inc's January issue examines “Workplace Diversity: How Do Companies Handle It Abroad?"
  
• Supermarkets are caught between conflicting causes. On the one hand, in the UK they are making great progress in helping consumers reduce their carbon impact (see “Tesco follows M&S with climate change move” (The Independent 1/16) and “Sustainable supermarkets” (Ethical Corporation 1/12), but shifting to local production can have a detrimental effect on African economic welfare (see “Africa’s supermarkets and the poor” Ethical Corporation 1/12).
• BP’s safety practices were lambasted by a panel led by James Baker, former US secretary of state but still “BP denies that it put profit over plant safety” (Financial Times 1/17).
  
• The very concept of CSR is being examined and debated heavily, particularly in the UK as the Labour and Conservative parties embrace different philosophies (see “Carrots and sticks needed for business, say Tories” Financial Times 1/16; “Private squalor, public affluence” MP Cheryl Gillian 1/16; and “I caught a glimpse of the Cameron future: alarm bells rang”; Sunday Telegraph 1/21).
• In the US, the major issue seems to be whether voluntary initiatives can ever be enough, as a Harvard study claims that “The Problem with Voluntary Corporate Initiatives Is -- Well, They Are Voluntary” (SocialFunds 1/16) and in the meantime a new voluntary partnerships and initiatives are touted in the press (see “Six power groups back bill to curb emissions” Financial Times 1/18 and “Beyond The Green Corporation” BusinessWeek 1/29).