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European Social Investing SurveyThe results of a European-wide social investment survey, “Green, Social and Ethical Funds in Europe,” show the market is rapidly expanding. Participants included 302 financial analysts and fund managers across 9 countries: Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. The survey was conducted by Avanzi and the SiRi Group, with the support of CSR Europe and Euronext. A third of survey respondents say they offer socially responsible investment (SRI) products now and 15 percent say they plan to introduce them. Of those that offer SRI products now, 60 percent offer them to a select group of targeted customers; only 15 percent systematically offer them to all customers. Almost half of those interviewed, though, perceive a demand for SRI products in the marketplace. When long-term performance is the same as for conventional funds, 77 percent say they prefer an SRI fund even if returns are slightly lower in the short-term. Whereas 30 percent of respondents believe social/ environmental performance affects a company’s market value in the short term, the number increases to 86 percent when looking at long-term performance. Easily accessible information on SRI performance is the main barrier to SRI expansion. 87 […]
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Growth is good - IF it replenishes, restores, and nourishes. Read this excerpt from Bill McDonough & Michael Braungart's new book, Cradle to Cradle.
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What do you think of a company like McDonald's' corporate responsibility? Is it time to finally demand more? Paul Hawken thinks so.
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Water stocks outperform the S&P 500, the only good thing about the coming water crisis.
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Last year, the feds spent $250 million on biomass R&D. Here's how David Morris, who coined the term "carbohydrate economy," thinks the money should be spent.
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The fast approaching US National Organic Program (NOP) covers foods, but what about textiles, cleaners or personal care?
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This year’s top 10 green building projects selected by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) range from a 950-square-foot renovated cabin to a 125,000-square-foot office building, and include government, private, non-profit examples of exemplary building design. The design competition evaluates projects based on performance, aesthetics, community connection, and stewardship of the natural environment. According to the AIA, the award and the range of submissions it attracts demonstrate the market transformation underway in the U.S. and around the world. There is increasing recognition of the benefits of sustainable design to people, the environment, and to the bottom line. Examples of winning buildings: Edificio Malecon, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaArchitects: HOKBuilt on a reclaimed brownfield site, this 125,000-square-foot office building is designed as a long narrow slab to minimize solar gain. The broad north side which is the primary solar exposure, is shaped to track the sun and is fully shaded to eliminate direct solar gain during peak cooling months. A Green Roof keeps the roof cool and manages stormwater runoff. Iowa Association of Municipal Utilities, Ankeny, IowaArchitects: RDG Bussard DikisThis 13,000-square-foot training facility doubles was designed and constructed on a modest budget. It uses 48 percent less energy than an equivalent conventional building […]
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Labor is waking up to the power of its $7 trillion in worker pension funds and has formed a new alliance, the Heartland Labor Capital Network, to tap that power.
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"Values don't slow VanCity down. Rather, they give us a national and international profile few regionally based companies enjoy," says Dave Mowat, VanCity CEO, Canada's largest credit union.
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What role does the recycling industry play in the U.S. economy? Is it significant or not worth the effort? The U.S. EPA through a cooperative agreement with the National Recycling Coalition, recently released the first comprehensive nationwide study on this topic, the U.S. Recycling Economic Information Study. It clearly:* Shows the investment community that recycling is a viable, established industry with a proven track record. * Identifies business opportunities for entrepreneurs based on emerging commodity areas and industry sectors. * Provides recycling and reuse advocates and government agencies with information to build support for the industry. The study examined economic data from 26 different types of reuse and recycling businesses, from local thrift stores to major paper recycling companies. The U.S. recycling industry consists of over 56,000 businesses that gross some $236 billion in annual revenue. The industry employs over 1.1 million people with a payroll of $37 billion.As a driver of economic activity, the recycling industry compares favorably to other key industries, such as automobile manufacturing and mining. Recycling far outpaces the waste management industry because it adds value to materials. The industry contributes significantly to job creation and generally pays above the average national wage. Investing in local […]
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