Agenda

Corporate Governance, CSR and SRI: The Blurring of the Lines

At one time, the corporate CSR community was separate and distinct from the Socially Responsible Investment world, but that day is rapidly disappearing. The fortunes of one rest the other. Issues such as labor relations, global warming, supply chain, and diversity have become part and parcel of corporate governance, and governance and accountability are central issues to investors.

Shareholders want to ensure that the capital they provide to the corporate world is used effectively and efficiently; so what does that mean to the corporations themselves?

Hear from all sides of the equation about how things are changing and what can be done better.

Energy & the Environment : New Priorities, New Challenges

How will the administration's priorities and the evolving regulatory climate impact the business community's attitude towards climate change, i.e. Would a proposed National Emissions Trading Scheme bill succeed in creating a whole new investment universe? How will the EPA's new position on Carbon Dioxide impact companies and investors alike? How are companies stepping up to the plate to take the lead on environmental issues?

Stakeholder Engagement: Getting it Right
Business activities can result in the upheaval - quite literally - of entire communities or even companies. Seeking out and listening to the views of stakeholders in a way that allows companies to manage - and minimize - their impact on society and the environment is essential. But it can be a tricky business. This panel will highlight best practice in multi-stakeholder engagement and showcase real-world examples from the companies that are getting it right.

CSR Reporting: When Is Enough, Enough?
Thousands of companies are publishing CR or sustainability reports today. Many of the reports are targeted to the investment community, striving to provide investors with meaningful data to guide their investment or engagement decisions as well as for other uses. Corporations often complain about the onerous task of compiling the information; investors, meanwhile, say they want more. The data available from companies is inconsistent and, many times, not comparable to data from competitors, throwing additional roadblocks in front of investors undertaking SRI strategies. Therefore, many are calling for governments around the world to enact mandatory reporting regulations and also are asking stock exchanges to adopt similar listing requirements. Would this be going too far? If not, what is the right standard.

How important is an evaluation by outside ranking agencies on governance or environment? What does it mean to company value to be included in the myriad green rankings developed by publishers and consultants? How do rating agencies evaluate companies? What will it mean to be included in the Wal-Mart Sustainability Index? How you do you have to rank to be viewed positively?

When PepsiCo certified the carbon footprint of Tropicana orange juice last year, it was the first consumer product in North America to receive certification from the Carbon Trust. What did the company learn from the process? How will the information be used to reduce impact across the orange juice production process? Why collaboration with partners and suppliers is a crucial next step.  

Measuring Return on Social Development Initiatives

Many corporations are engaging in voluntary initiatives associated with codes of conduct; environmental management; CSR Reporting on environmental policy and performance; certification and labeling schemes; and community development projects to name a few.

How do these programs become embedded in the corporate culture?  How do these corporate social development initiatives factor into the overall value of the business?  From the investor's perspective, how important are they and how do they add shareholder value?