Global humanitarianism research academy

Last September, the World Economic Forum (WEF) drew up its version of a curated list of ESG goals, to encourage businesses to inform stakeholders of non-financial contributions in such areas as employee wellbeing and human rights. The WEF went through a six-month consultation process with 200 companies and investors, to draw up a set of universal metrics, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It comprises 21 core “stakeholder capitalism metrics,” and 34 expanded ones, all under four main pillars. … [Read more...] about More than 60 global businesses—including Mastercard, Nestlé, and Unilever—announce commitment to transparency

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

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

Meanwhile, we have found ourselves in the midst of a mental health crisis, with rates of depression skyrocketing to unparalleled levels as a global pandemic and social isolation pile onto already-stressful work conditions and seasonal cycles. Nearly 100,000 U.S. businesses have closed permanently since February 2020. Those who remain employed are flailing. According to a recent Harvard Business Review survey by Ron Carucci, 41% of workers feel burned out due to factors like working remotely, working longer hours, juggling family demands, threatened job security and fear of unsafe working environments. None of this is funny. … [Read more...] about Humor is such an important leadership trait we teach it at Stanford’s business school

On March 1, Howard and her friend, journalist Susan Ades Stone, launched the initial online voting round for Women on 20s, an advocacy campaign created to replace the image of Andrew Jackson with a woman on the U.S. $20 bill. (In an unrelated action, a Change.org petition to get women back on Canadian bank notes has garnered 54,000 online signatures after the only women to be featured on Canada’s bank notes were removed.) … [Read more...] about Inside The Campaign To Get A Woman On The $20 Bill