SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights

Every week G&A Institute assembles the value-added content that our team gathers for you as we closely monitor trends and developments in corporate sustainability, corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, sustainable investing, and related topics and issues. Our Editor-in-Chief Ken Cynar leads the daily effort and you see the results of his work in each issue of Highlights (note we are on #406 this week). We hope that you benefit from this effort, part of our information-sharing and educational mission.

With the majority of the population moving into urban centers in coming decades…how can the action of today’s city planners create a better future for us? Scientific American shares some perspectives.

Today’s question for corporate CEO’s: Have you examined your company’s “Total Impact Valuation,” a new approach being advanced by The Conference Board, wherein the enterprises’ impact on society is monetized (cost/benefit evaluated and value attached)?

A small group of companies is doing these exercises. Think of their efforts to date as expanding the usual reporting of “Input/Output” to seriously consider (1) Outcomes, (2) Impacts, (3) Cost and Benefit to Society (and to the company).

This appears to us to have the potential to take corporate sustainability reporting to expanded (new) levels for at least the publicly-traded large caps - that is, if enough investors jump aboard the concept and ask for the information.

Many people are fascinated with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its wondrous 21st Century blend of modern and medieval elements – and the country appears to moving along with rapid and dramatic changes under new royal family leadership (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman).

The 20th Century concept of “mutual funds” investment debuted before the stock market crash of October 1929; in 1924 the Massachusetts Investors’ Trust in Boston was created with State Street Investors’ Trust as the custodian. That fund opened to public investment in 1928. That same year the Wellington Fund (offering both bonds and equity) opened for business.

Many people are fascinated with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with its wondrous 21st Century blend of modern and medieval elements – and the country appears to moving along with rapid and dramatic changes under new royal family leadership (Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman).

Hey, a Cuppa Joe – the morning treat for many people around the world. That first hot cup of dark coffee can set the tone for us for the day. And when our spirits (and energy) may lag, the cuppa joe can perk us up again for a while at any time of day. But – how many of us give thought to how that wonderful dark liquid arrived in our grocery stores, at the local Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts or other coffee counters? The Ecologist took a close look at the business of coffee recently and their commentary (and report on the industry) is our Top Story for you this week.

There are some interesting new angles to the perennial public dialogues that go on about issues related to executive compensation. The new news is regarding the compensation packages for the Top Man (in the Fortune 500 universe, there are only 24 companies that have female CEOs) and the relationship of that sum to (1) the employees of the firm and (2) the shareholders, including key fiduciaries managing OPM (other peoples’ money). The CEO Pay Ratio disclosures of 2018 are now becoming more of a public dialogue.

Now in its 19th year, the well known CR Magazine “100 Best Corporate Citizens 2018” list was just unveiled; this effort recognizes the ESG performance of public companies in the United States. (The publication is now titled Corporate Responsibility Magazine, published by 3BL Media LLC.)

In monitoring the growing abundance of news stories and commentary about “supply chain,” “globalization” or “trade” topics and issues, our editors often see the focus is on apparel, clothing, textiles, fashion, etc. Companies in the developed economies widely source apparel footwear and related items in the developing and under-developed nations – and what happens there can quickly make news that travels around the globe.