Corporate Reputation
Deloitte quits Chinese group Boshiwa
Deloitte has resigned as auditor of Boshiwa International, a Chinese maker of children’s apparel that has licences for brands including Harry Potter and Manchester United, over corporate governance concerns. Boshiwa is one of dozens of Chinese companies whose auditors have resigned in recent years amid concerns about corporate governance.
The Financial Times* p20 http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/dd0fbe22-6e59-11e1-b98d-00144feab49a.html#axzz1pGsxG7fM
Textbooks for Tanzania as BAE pays out over ‘bribery’
Europe’s largest defence company, BAE, said yesterday that after months of bureaucratic wrangling it had agreed the terms of a £29.5 million compensation payment to Tanzania. BAE had been accused of paying bribes to Tanzanian officials to win the contract but the company denied corruption and agreed only to plead guilty to a lesser book-keeping charge. The agreement, reached with the Government of Tanzania and the Serious Fraud Office and Department for International Development, stipulates that the money will be used to fund education projects.
The Times p47 http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/engineering/article3353499.ece
Ethisphere Institute unveils 2012 world’s most ethical companies
The Ethisphere Institute, a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, announced today the sixth annual selection of the World’s Most Ethical (WME) Companies, highlighting a record 145 organisations that show leadership in promoting ethical business standards.
Marketwatch – http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ethisphere-institute-unveils-2012-worlds-most-ethical-companies-2012-03-15
RepRisk releases its new report on the most controversial mining companies of 2011
RepRisk has released its new report on the 10 Most Controversial Mining Companies of 2011, benchmarked against the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Principles and other international standards. This report highlights the consequences of environmental, social and governance risks on the companies’ reputations, access to capital and licences to operate.
Business Wire http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120315006032/en/RepRisk-Releases-Report-Controversial-Mining-Companies-2011
Supply Chain
Nestlé joins the Fair Labour Association
Nestlé has become the first company in the food industry to join the Fair Labour Association (FLA) following the approval of its application by the association’s board. The FLA is a non-profit multi-stakeholder initiative that works with major companies to improve working conditions in their supply chains.
Nestle http://www.nestle.com/Media/NewsAndFeatures/Pages/Starting-work-FLA.aspx
Environment
Shell confirms it has faced legal action over climate change
Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has confirmed, for the third year running, that it has faced legal action over its contribution to climate change. However, it stressed that the cases were dismissed and that the company remains confident any future legal action does not pose a “material” risk to the firm. The Anglo-Dutch oil major confirmed in its annual report, released yesterday, that it has, along with a number of other energy companies, been subject to climate change-related litigation, although it did not name the organisations that have taken it to court. “We believe these lawsuits are without merit and are not material to Shell,” the company said in the report.
Business Green http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2159688/shell-confirms-faced-legal-action-climate-change
Rare metal recycling offers multi-billion pound opportunity
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will today launch an action plan to help UK businesses profit from the multi-billion market in recycling precious metals from products such as mobile phones and laptops. The Resource Security Action Plan warns businesses are facing rising global demand for consumer goods and clean technologies, such as solar panels, wind turbines and electric cars that could face severe supply shortages as a result of raw material constraints.
Business Green http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2159869/rare-metal-recycling-offers-multi-billion-pound-opportunity
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