Shortlist revealed for 2013 Observer Ethical Awards
The companies, projects, places and people shortlisted for the 2013 Observer Ethical Awards have been unveiled. Taking place in central London on June 13, the event has become colloquially known as the ‘the Green Oscars’. Now in its eighth year, Lucy Siegle, chair of the judging panel, said the...
Investors push retailers for better working conditions in the developing world
Investors and religious groups in the US have called for better safety in overseas factories, in the aftermath of last month’s Bangladesh tragedy. The signatories of a letter released by the Interfaith Centre on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) include, among others, Aviva Investors, EIRIS and the Socially Responsible Investment Coalition...
UN lauds science and technology as ‘critical’ in sustainable development
United Nations officials gathered with policymakers and NOGs at the Economic and Social Council forum (ECOSOC) on Monday to discuss how innovative science and technology could aid the world’s sustainable development. “Science, technology and innovation hold great potential as tools and enable to integrate the three dimensions of sustainable...
Land grabbing in Laos and Cambodia breach human rights
Land grabbing by two large Vietnamese firms has driven communities in Laos and Cambodia off their land and forced people to work on rubber plantations, according to international NGO Global Witness. Its report found that vast amounts of land have been acquired (land grabbing) for rubber plantations in the...
Fund divests from gold mining firm because of ethical concerns
The New Zealand Superannuation Fund has divested from a global mining corporation because of concerns over human rights violations and environmental damage, which it says are incompatible with UN Global Compact principles. The fund, a pension scheme that invests money on behalf of the government, has decided to dismiss...
Study: sustainable investment can drive change in Africa
Investment in Africa that focuses on environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors can bring both financial returns for investors and improvements for local communities, a new report has said. The study by the Abraaj Group, a leading investor focused on developing markets, has been presented at the World Economic...
Australia to help Pacific islands tackle climate change
The Australian government has signed a long-term partnership with a coalition of Pacific nations, in order to help the islands in their fight against environmental threats like climate change. The Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) revealed that it will provide the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme...
French government unveils sustainable transport competition
French transport minister Frédéric Cuvillier has said the government will financially reward some of the best sustainable transport initiatives in the country with money generated from a €450m fund. The initiative, called Transports collectifs et mobilité durable (or Public transport and sustainable mobility), will encompass urban and extra-urban transport,...
Fashion industry and US college team up for sustainability
A selection of high-profile fashion brands has teamed up with the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles to form a partnership to improve the environmental, social and economic sustainability of their products. The new group, named Otis Sustainability Alliance, brings together famous brands such as Nike,...
US solar-powered plane completes first leg of coast-to-coast trip
Solar Impulse, an aircraft powered by solar energy, has flown from San Francisco to Phoenix – the first step in a journey that will see it cover the entire length of the US. After its first section, which lasted 18 hours, the plane will stop in several other cities,...
Ed Davey calls for climate change to remain in national curriculum
Ed Davey has urged education secretary Michael Gove to put the topic of climate change back into the geography curriculum for key stages 1-3. Davey, the energy secretary, wrote a letter to Gove, asking him to keep climate change in the revised national curriculum due to be rolled out...
US students call for responsible investment by universities
A group of students from the US have urged three prestigious universities to strengthen their investment policies regarding minerals extraction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Students from Yale, Brown and Dartmouth launched the appeal to their institutions because of their worries about human rights abuses in mining...
Speakers announced for FT/IFC Sustainable Finance Conference
Some of the world’s biggest names in global finance and sustainability have been announced as speakers at the Sustainable Finance Conference, organised by The Financial Times (FT) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), this June. The conference, now in its seventh year, focuses on the urgent need to tackle global...
World celebrates International Workers’ Day
Today, more than 80 countries will celebrate International Workers’ Day – a campaign for workers around the world to receive fundamental human rights. The event will be observed through marches, demonstrations, concerts and festivals on every continent. In 1886, workers in Chicago were demonstrating during a general strike over...
Public will vote for candidates that support wind farms, says poll
A poll conducted by ComRes on behalf of trade body RenewableUK ahead of tomorrow’s local elections has revealed that 35% of the public are more likely to vote for a candidate who supports wind farm developments. Results from the poll of 2,019 voters suggest that parties with pro-wind policies...
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