By joining the pledge, the companies are committing to report to their investors and stakeholders the metrics that are most relevant to their businesses, “or briefly explaining why a different approach is more appropriate,” Etolbgy says. In addition, they’re committing to be public advocates for the goals, encouraging business partners to do the same, and advocating for an ever-evolving, more consistent standard so that “there’s convergence in this very complicated ecosystem of metrics and disclosures around sustainability,” she says. … [Read more...] about More than 60 global businesses—including Mastercard, Nestlé, and Unilever—announce commitment to transparency
E research global review
‘ESG’ isn’t just about feel-good investing. It can be a framework for global accountability
The role of asset managers The zeitgeist may be slowly shifting, but change won’t happen without the group controlling the purse strings of the capital — asset managers. They are critical players in the flow of enormous amounts of capital to companies. The largest asset managers, State Street, Vanguard, BlackRrock, and Fidelity, combined have an immense influence, collectively holding nearly 40% of all US publicly-listed asset ownership and a full 1/5 of the total S&P500, across active and passive client accounts. … [Read more...] about ‘ESG’ isn’t just about feel-good investing. It can be a framework for global accountability
Humor is such an important leadership trait we teach it at Stanford’s business school
Reorienting towards humor is a fundamentally profitable enterprise that today’s leaders can’t afford to miss. One study found that adding a lighthearted line at the end of a sales pitch—like “my final offer is X, and I’ll throw in my pet frog”—increases customers’ willingness to pay by 18%. Another set of studies found that employees who rate their leaders as having a sense of humor— any sense of humor—are 15% more satisfied with their jobs and rate their leaders at 27% more motivating. A set of studies run by Brad Bitterly, Allison Wood Brooks, and Maurice Schweitzer demonstrate that when people use humor at work, they’re attributed 37% higher status, and seen as more competent and more confident . … [Read more...] about Humor is such an important leadership trait we teach it at Stanford’s business school
H&M is one of fashion’s biggest polluters. Now its foundation is on a $100 million quest to save the planet
In the late ’90s and early 2000s, fast fashion became the industry norm. H&M’s business model was copied by other retailers, from Zara to Walmart to Gap. Selling a large volume of clothes at low prices has proved to be a lucrative business model, but it has had a devastating impact on the planet. Many consumers wear clothes only seven to ten times before throwing them away. Between 2000 and 2015, the number of garments manufactured doubled from 50 billion to 100 billion—and this figure is expected to increase as the middle class grows in Asia and Africa. In addition to creating an overwhelming amount of waste, the fashion industry generates 10% of global carbon emissions and 20% of all wastewater, and it sends half a million tons of microplastics into the oceans. … [Read more...] about H&M is one of fashion’s biggest polluters. Now its foundation is on a $100 million quest to save the planet
Inside The Campaign To Get A Woman On The $20 Bill
Of course, suffragette Susan B. Anthony was featured on a silver dollar coin first circulated in 1979. However, fewer than 800 million were produced. Their similarity to quarters in size and shape made them unpopular with the public. In 2000, the U.S. Mint replaced the Susan. B. Anthony dollar with the Golden Dollar, featuring Native American guide Sacagawea. Howard’s research revealed that Helen Keller is on one side of the Alabama quarter and Martha Washington’s portrait appeared on the face of an oversize $1 silver certificate in 1886 and 1891. She and George Washington were on the reverse side of the 1996 note. But all other U.S. currency — and all of the paper bills most frequently used– have featured men. … [Read more...] about Inside The Campaign To Get A Woman On The $20 Bill