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News round-up (Jun/Jul)
BHP Billiton and BT are among the world's best-governed companies, while an inquiry has begun into the role of company boards in fulfilling the social and environmental responsibilities of businesses. Also the OFR standards are published.
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News round-up (Apr/May)
Senior managers at Citigroup are pushing forward a drive to improve the company's ethics and integrity whilst the DTI on March 17 published a white paper for consultation, setting out its proposals for a Company Law Reform Bill.
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Corporate manslaughter
bill introduced
The corporate manslaughter bill has been a long time in consultation, though the unions remain disappointed it does not create a duty to promote health and safety. It does however make explicit the duty of directors to consider wider circumstances.
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Introduction of the OFR
The introduction of the OFR has been announced by the government. It is likely it will will achieve a step change in the way most companies engage at the highest levels with these wider social, community and environmental issues that can impact long term shareholder value creation.
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Transparency news
round-up (Oct/Nov)
Fewer than a quarter of companies in the oil, gas and defence sectors have declared policies on whistleblowing. Meanwhile Exxonmobil has received criticsim for overiding human rights in Chad and Cameroon.
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How are governments
addressed in CSR reports?
Governments are rarely addressed in CSR reports and are generally the most neglected group of stakeholders, after the investors. However, governments are often the largest beneficiary of a company's economic activity.
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Voluntarism in the
spotlight:
By scrapping statutory operating and financial reviews, the government is hoping measures already in place will ensure responsible corporate governance.
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Never the twain should
meet?
Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility experts rarely have occasion to speak with one another. But the time is nigh for the two to talk, argues Rob Lake, and where better to start than inviting CSR specialists into the boardroom.
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Roger Cowe: are CSR
managers in line for a promotion?
The recent furore over executive pay demonstrates that the inner sanctum of many corporate boardrooms still remain beyond the bounds of the humble CSR manager. Here Roger Cowe makes the case for CSR considerations to be promoted onto the corporate governance agenda.
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Business Accountability
The new chair of BITC argues the great businesses of the 21st century will not only be the most responsible and transparent, but also the most accountable.
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Disappearing Shareholders
Shareholders in public companies are losing their grip on companies, as more and more of the economy is gobbled up by private equity investors, accountable to few. Roger Cowe argues it's time for socially responsible private equity.
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