As part of Article 13’s United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) commitments (http://www.article13.com/csr/ungc_iip_values.asp) for 2009 to ‘work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery’, we have written the Second of a series of  five best practice cases studies on Transparency and Anti-Corruption (T & AC).  The aim of the case studies are to disseminate T & AC best practice and to advocate take up, to our network of partners, clients, associates and the Article 13 visitors through the use of a well recognised organisation/ brand.

This case study focuses on Shell’s Transparency and Anti-corruption
approach in its operations in Nigeria. Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) is the
second largest multinational energy corporation in the world, with wide
scale operations and activities, a diversity of different business
units and has over 102,000 employees in more than 100 countries and
territories (http://www.shell.com/). The case study identifies in great depth, the following:

1.    The Company
2.    The key drivers for change integrating T & AC.
3.    Taking action
a.    Core values
b.    Communication
c.    Policies and initiatives
d.    Reporting
e.    Working with the community
4.    Challenges to transparency and anti-corruption
a.    Poor track record
b.    New challenges
c.    Corporate citizenship
5.    Conclusion

Full case study:
Article 13 T & AC case study:
Ford (http://www.article13.com/A13_ContentList.asp?strCategory=Best%20Practice)

Further information on T & AC please see:
Transparency and anti-corruption resource centre
(http://www.article13.com/csr/ungc-transparency-anti-corruption.asp)

Contact information
Please contact Fiona Banyard on fionab@article13.com or call 020 8840 4450
Please also see Article 13’s website www.article13.com

We think Dorothy was right when she told the good witch Glenda,
‘there’s no place like home’, and this months newsletter celebrates the
one place everyone can relax…….ah, your home.

Whether you’re just back from an exotic faraway land or holidaying at
home – we have some naturally stylish decor for your haven. And the
summer heat has gone a little to our heads so we’re offering Pure
Design member’s free shipping from now
till 30th August! So click your mouse three times and repeat
after me ‘there’s no place like home’…

These heels are what Dorothy would have been wearing if we’d had our
say!

View the entire newsletter here

Celebrate with Ethical.TV the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People!

“The world’s indigenous peoples – 370 million in 70 countries — are the custodians of some of the most biologically diverse areas on earth. They speak a majority of the world’s languages, and their traditional knowledge, cultural diversity and sustainable ways of life make an invaluable contribution to the world’s common heritage.”

                                      Ban Ki-moon, UN Secretary-General

How much do you know about Indigenous People?
The United
Nations General Assembly decided that the International Day of the
World’s Indigenous People shall be observed on 9 August every year.

Find out more and watch some good stories about indigenous people:

Connectivity of the Indigenous People in the Americas (click here)

In Latin America there are around 50 million indigenous people.

History’s B-Sides (Lado B de la historia) (click here)
History’s B-Sides explores past events whose effects continue to resonate in the present.

Ecuador: A model of Green Enterprise (click here)

How to balance development and conservation in Ecuador.

Visit Ethical.TV to watch more films related with this issue.
    How much do you know about Indigenous People?

The International Day of the Co-operatives (4th July)

This
year the theme focuses on the fact that co-operatives are enterprises
that can effectively contribute to global economic recovery, but also
that these enterprises will do so in respect of the co-operative values
and principles which guide their operations.

Burma Video Journalists (click here)

The Co-op is bringing to life the award-winning film Burma VJ.

The Story of the Fenwik Weavers Co-operative (click here)
Local Fenwick weaver Thomas Barr meets a stranger in the Kings Arms one cold winter’s night in 1763.

Empowerment for Women (click here)
Kuapa Kokoo involves women in all decision making.
    The International Day of the Co-operatives (4th July)

What’s new on Ethical.TV?

Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries (click here)
European Union supports those who want to start a business.

Help Connect the World Through Music (click here)
This is an introduction to the Playing For Change Foundation.

Just Coffee (click here)
A look at the biggest fair trade certification labels on the market.

A Commitment to Health in a Borrowed Land (click here)
“Sex Education and STI and HIV prevention” project in the Saharan refugees camps of Tindouf.
    What’s new on Ethical.TV?

Do you have any new ideas or comments about Ethical.TV?

Get
involved and let us know what do you think about Ethical.TV. What kind
of films and features would you like to enjoy on Ethical.TV? Send us
your ideas, suggestions and comments to: info@ethical.tv !

Send us films and news of your organisation.

Do
you want to create your organisation’s own channel on Ethical.TV?
Ethical.TV will work with you from concept through delivery to create
your own.

Your organisation has a film to be made?
Ethical.TV can help by providing you with industry filming experts from
camera, editing to final delivery.
    Do you have any new ideas or comments about Ethical.TV?

Contact us:

Tania Pramschufer

tania@ethical.tv – (0044) 131 226 2674 / 07914 254 334

Katie Williamson

katie@ethical.tv – (0044) 131 226 2689 / 07712 647 664

For more information about Hand Up Media click here

Thank you,

www.ethical.tv

responsibletravel.com,
the world’s leading travel agent for responsible holidays is the first
travel agent to team up with newly launched TravelPledge – www.travelpledge.org 
 - the online charity donation scheme for travellers wanting to give
back to people and projects in the destinations they have visited.

This new partnership will offer responsibletravel.com customers the chance to donate money to trusted social and environmental projects in seven popular holiday destinations. responsibletravel.com
will also promote the scheme to its 900+ members (tour operators and
hoteliers around the world) to further encourage the take up of the
give back scheme among travellers.

TravelPledge screens the projects and facilitates online donations from travellers, adding gift aid when applicable.

Justin Francis, managing director, responsibletravel.com:
“This fantastic scheme has my full support. The feedback from
travellers we work with is that they are often left moved and inspired
by a holiday – whether it be due to encounters with local people,
wildlife or social and environmental issues in destinations – they come
back home wanting to help in some way. TravelPledge offers them the
chance to give something back.”

TravelPledge was set up in 2008 to respond to the increasing number
of requests from travellers to be able to contribute financially to
charitable social and environmental projects in the destinations they
visit. The charity ensures donations are processed effectively and that
the greatest amount possible reaches the destination. As a registered
charity, it retains zero percent of the consumer money donated to cover
its overheads.

Nick Chaffe, director, TravelPledge said: “By working hand in hand
with the travel industry and local delivery partners, TravelPledge
helps travellers to connect in more rewarding ways to the places
they’ve visited. We aim to deliver the most effective give back
mechanism for this sector. Our platform enables travellers to choose
projects and to donate quickly and easily online. Importantly we will
feed back to donors on the completion of each and every project they
choose to support.”

See
http://travelpledge.org/support/responsibletravel  for more information.
For interviews contact Krissy Roe, responsibletravel.com – mobile: 07717 348368

In
the run up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference in
Copenhagen, latest research from EIRIS focuses on 300 of the world’s
largest companies to examine the progress they have made over the last
12 months in responding to the challenges of climate change.

Climate Change Compass: The road to Copenhagen
analyses the 300 largest companies listed on the FTSE All World Index
and finds that just over a third are failing to address the risks they
face from climate change – although the quality of companies management
response to climate change has improved overall.

Climate change has the potential to seriously impact shareholder value, especially in the medium to long term. As
the significant physical and economic impacts of climate change
increase, investors need to develop a greater understanding of the
extent and impact of corporate response to this issue. Highlights of
EIRIS’ research into how some of the world’s largest companies are
responding to climate change challenges are listed below:

Some improvements, but further momentum needed

§         Over a third (35.6%) of global 300 companies have a high or very high climate change impact¹. Of these, 33% are failing to mitigate their climate change risk (down from 34% in 2008)

§         99%
of companies with a high or very high climate change impact have a
corporate-wide climate change commitment (in comparison with 84% in
2008). This improvement can be explained by a number of drivers coming
into play including the increasing activity of investors

§         Almost
three quarters of companies (73% compared with 61% last year) have
referenced the wider policy context by referring to international
targets, regulations or the scientific imperative

Opportunities at Copenhagen

§         The
UN Climate Change Conference may create significant opportunities for
companies – linked to the development of green stimulus packages or a
clearer regulatory framework.

Engagement is key

§         Many large cap companies face significant climate change
risks and opportunities.  Investors must understand the impact these
issues will have on their portfolios and integrate climate change into
their engagement strategies or when exercising voting rights.

Climate
change affects businesses across every sector of the economy – from
aviation to agriculture. EIRIS’ latest research also outlines the
various risks and opportunities for companies and their investors which
climate change presents, including:

§         Regulatory challenges – Copenhagen
may bring about a number of changes in national and international
legislation for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Potential
environmental taxes and compliance costs must therefore be factored
into company valuation

§         Changing market dynamics
- relating to higher and fluctuating energy costs, especially for
energy intensive sectors. Changing consumer attitudes and demand
patterns also open up opportunities for new technologies, products and
markets

§         Changing weather patterns – security
and cost of water and energy supplies, plus the physical risks of
climate change, including damage to assets as a result of extreme
weather events all have cost implications

§         Reputational - customer, employee, investor and societal perceptions are having an increasing impact on brand value

Given
the importance of climate change and the likely impact of it on future
long-term corporate financial performance, it is increasingly seen as
an investor’s fiduciary responsibility to integrate consideration of
climate change into their investment strategy as outlined in the
UNEP-FI Fiduciary II report². Against a backdrop of the
recent global financial crisis and growing evidence of the significant
physical effects of climate change, the outcome of the Copenhagen
Conference will set the direction for a financial and policy framework
for future climate change investment for governments, corporations and
investors.

Stephanie Maier,
Head of Research at EIRIS said ‘Our research identifies a number of
improvements in the strategies that companies have put in place with
regard to their climate change impact. It is encouraging to see some
evidence that regulation and the increasing engagement activity of
investors on climate change are driving companies to focus more
attention on the climate change risks and opportunities they face.’

However, there are areas where further progress can be achieved. Stephanie Maier
added ‘Board level responsibility and ownership of a company’s response
to climate change is crucial. Linking remuneration to performance in
this area will help ensure companies remain focussed on these issues.
Likewise the increased use of verification for GHG emissions data will
provide investors with further reassurance on the reliability of the
information published. These are key areas where investors should exert
influence so as to help them minimise their risk.’

The full research report is available here (http://www.eiris.org/files/research%20publications/ftse300climatechangepaper09.pdf)

EIRIS
has developed a comprehensive suite of products to help investors
assess their portfolios and design investment strategies in response to
the challenge of a carbon-constrained economy. Click here for further information.
 
Press contact: carlota.garcia-manas@eiris.org, +44 (0)20 7840 5711

We all want and need to make changes to help protect our health and environment, but with an ever increasing minefield of green and ethical claims out there, it can be hard to know which brands we can really trust and those which will really make a difference. Independent and respected awards and accreditations give an easy way to weed out the true green brands.

The organic and natural feminine hygiene brand, Natracare, has once
again been recognized for its ethical and environmental credentials
having been given an award from the Ethical Company Organisation, a
fully independent endorsement which outlines the ‘premier league’ of
genuine corporate social responsibility and ethical companies. During
the analysis Natracare achieved an outstanding Ethical Accreditation
Index score, which places it at the top of the table for the Sanitary
Protection sector.

The Natracare brand philosophy has always been
to provide products that never compromise health or the environment.
Many brands of sanitary protection contain crude oil plastics,
synthetics, harsh chemicals and even dioxin residues, which can cause
intimate irritation for women and thousands of years of pollution for
our global environment. All Natracare
tampons, pads, liners and wipes are 100% chlorine-free, plastic-free
and crude oil derivatives-free. In addition to the new Ethical Award
and a Women in Ethical Business award, Natracare is the first feminine
hygiene brand to have obtained an International Environmental Product Declaration (EPD[1])
a scientifically validated, independently-assessed life cycle analysis
which determines the carbon footprint of the products as well as a
Green accreditation officiated by the Nordic Ecolabel organisation. The entire range has been awarded the LOHAS award
for its environmental and sustainable criteria. The comprehensive
Natracare range is designed so that certified organic 100% cotton is
next to your skin. The range includes Soil Association certified
Organic 100% Cotton tampons with and without applicators, organic and
natural Ultra pads and Panty Liners, Organic Cotton Intimate Wipes,
Organic Cotton Baby Wipes, Nursing pads, Maxi pads and Dry & Light
Pads for sensitive bladders.

Susie Hewson, winner of
the 2008 Women in Ethical Business Award from ethical bank, Triodos,
and founder of Natracare, the organic and natural range of feminine
hygiene products, is embarking on a new adventure, this time to raise
funds to improve the health of women and babies around the world.

Susie (56) will be
joining other inspirational women on a gruelling 300km cycle ride
through the Jordan Valley to the shores of the Red Sea to raise funds
for the ‘Women for Women’ charity challenge.

The 5-day challenge takes
place in October this year and TV presenter, Fern Britton, will also
be taking part – her fourth ‘Women for Women’ challenge.
  The popular women-only cycling challenges have seen
thousands of women raising money over the past nine years. 

‘Women for Women’
is part of an international charity chaired by Professor Robert
Winston, registration number 292518, which finances medical research
into the causes, and therefore the cures to many conditions that
effect the health of mother and baby.

Funds raised from the
‘Women for Women’ cycle rides are specifically used to
train women scientists and clinicians to specialise in this area of
medicine – thereby empowering more women to lead in this field.

Susie says: “Natracare’s
ethos is one of care and consideration for the wellbeing of women and
the environment, and the development of our organic and sustainable
feminine hygiene products reflects that concern. The giving of my
time and energy to help raise funds for the charity is one of my
biggest challenges but I am really looking forward to the adventure
and meeting all the other charity bikers”.

www.habitataid.co.uk

Habitat Aid is launching a small range of bee friendly non-native trees
to complement the native trees and nectar plants we are already selling.
These trees are recommended by the
British Beekeepers’ Association, except for one specifically for
bumblebees.

This
is part of the continuing expansion of our product line
in support of charities working to protect and promote biodiversity in
the UK. We are donating half of our profit from the sale of these trees to the Laboratory of Apiculture and
Social Insects at the University of Sussex. This is an important cause, and as
a beekeeper myself particularly close to my
heart. 

You can
find the trees at http://www.habitataid.co.uk/acatalog/exotic_trees.html and more information from the contact details
below. 
Nick Mann
Habitat Aid
Phone: 01749 812775
Fax: 01749 812971
 
www.habitataid.co.uk

 Check out our sustainable fashion film on: www.morethanprettyknickers.com

Plans are going well for The Great Big Green Wedding Fayre, taking place at Crosby Hall Educational Trust, Liverpool on Saturday 5 and Sunday 6th September.

The event was set up by new business partnership GreenLeaf Press, to showcase the very best in fair trading and ethical wedding suppliers. GreenLeaf Press are Amanda Barr  and Jemma Herbert, their new business designs and creates eco conscious stationery for weddings.

“We can’t believe the wealth of different green businesses that have
jumped on board, everything from peddle powered rickshaws to recycled
jewellery, vintage tea parties  to classical musicians!” explains
Amanda, “We have also been pleasantly surprised by a number of
traditional wedding suppliers who have been keen to find out what they
need to do to go green.”

“I spoke to a reporter recently who
asked if the event would be ‘All hemp dresses and veggie food?’” Jemma
smiles, ” Well, as a matter of fact we wouldn’t say no to a hemp dress
and we do have a veggie caterer- but the great variety of alternative
things that will be going on are giving the event as
festival/celebratory feel and I defy any ‘mainstream’ bride not to get
the urge to break the mould and go for the fun of being peddled to the
ceremony or the romance of a night under canvas, or indeed the bargains
to be had at in charity shop bridal section!”

Highlights include
a catwalk show courtesy of Oxfam Bridal; complimentary tea & cakes;
free pamper sessions with The Bodyshop at Home; the chance to win some
great green hampers from friends like Lovelula; presentations by Katie
Fewings from Ethical Weddings and Greg Valerio from CRED jewellery AND
a green goody bag to take home (plus the odd rickshaw ride!)

Find out more at www.biggreenwedding.co.uk

Tickets cost 6.00

Please reserve yours by contacting Jemma

jemma@biggreenwedding.co.uk

or tel: 07824 860 682