Apple seeks CSR manager

Wired blogs note that Apple is seeking a manager for their Corporate Responsibility program.

M&S campaign recognised by analysts

Marks and Spencer's "Look behind the label" is being credited as one of its most successful ever advertising campaigns. The Independent publishes this piece describing Citibank's assessment of the campaign.

Ben and Jerry's Fairtrade ice-cream in UK

Unilever-owned Ben and Jerry's - the people who first brought us Chunky Monkey and Chubby Hubby - launch the UK's first Fairtrade ice-cream. Launched in 1978, sold to Unilever in 1999, the company has shown commitment to corporate responsibility. Their "Climate Change college" campaign was launched in 2005. The graduates of the programe (or 'ambassadors' as they are called) will help to lobby corporations and governments for greater action on climate change.

Dell and power of blogging

This Sunday Times article talks about the influence of blogging on corporate reputation. A commentator Mark Rogers of Market Sentinel points out that 75% of new car buyers search online before they buy - companies should beware if they don't like what they find. And I read here that 44% of internet users are content creators according to Pew. This is an important trend right now but I was thinking the other day that the ways consumers will share their impressions of companies with each other will change again once mobile computing and wireless services will mean people will be able to research and share experiences of products closer to the point of purchase.

Asda responds to Defra calls

Asda, along with representatives from other supermarkets, met the environment secretary David Miliband last week to discuss ways to reduce waste from supermarkets. Asda have responded with news of their initiatives published in freshinfo today.

The role of RED in fairer trading

This FT article about cotton production and the development of more Fairtrade clothing ranges, notably by M&S, sums the role of initiatives like RED and Fairtrade thus "Brands can add a lot of value, but part of their appeal is their exclusivity, and the higher price that enables a less efficient supply chain to exist will also limit demand for its output. At the very least, it should help connect those producers with consumers who want to know exactly what they are wearing or eating, and to whom the benefits will go. Perhaps Fairtrade and Product Red ought to be judged not on whether they fundamentally change the world trading system, which they won’t, but whether they can pull some marginalised producers into the one we have".

BP working with other companies to monitor suppliers

Suppliers' activities can contribute significantly to business risk which is why BP and competitors are joining forces in an interesting development reported by the Telegraph. Using their combined resources to share information, the companies will minimise potential risks.

The Times reports that the organic foods store Wholefoods is launching in London on the site of the old Barker's store in Kensington. The site is vast and is in a very affluent area (just a few yards from Kensington Palace in fact) so looks set to capitalise on a growing market.

Friends Provident say women more interested in ethical investments

Ethical purchasing is growing four times faster than UK household income, according to the Co-operative Bank's annual Ethical Purchasing Index. This Telegraph article however, points to huge growth within ethical investing - from £613 in 1996 to £4 billion in June 2006.

Sainsbury's approach to corporate responsibility

Fresh Info reports "Sainsbury’s policy on corporate responsibility comes down to five key points, according to the retailer’s latest report. The Corporate Responsibility report states the company is striving to be “the best for food and health”; “show respect for our environment”; “source with integrity”; make a “positive difference to our community”, and be “a great place to work”.The report also listed Sainsbury’s achievements for the last year, which include: donating £3.3million to charities through its food donation scheme; launching organic compostable packaging; becoming the biggest UK retailer of Fairtrade products; reducing road mileage by five per cent and raising its investment in community initiatives by 170 per cent to £18.6m".

Asda push for fairtrade kitemark on UK products

There is some doubt over ASDA's approach to Fairtrade Foundation for a 'Fairtrade kitemark' for food produced by UK farmers. While UK shoppers admit to some confusion about Fairtrade labelling, the addition of a Fairtrade kitemark for UK products might not help, since consumers associate the label with helping poorer farmers in developing countries.

BP could be shunned on ethical grounds says analyst feed

Investigations into BP's activities in the US propane market may cause their shares to be shunned by investors says one analyst in Dow Jones newswire article quoted in NewRatings.

Tesco and M&S help boost Fairtrade sales

Today an article in The Guardian says that big retailers including Tesco and M&S have helped to boost sales of Fairtrade goods in the UK.

Will globally integrated enterprises benefit emerging economies?

Being seen to behave ethically is as important as making profits says Nick Mathiason in this article in The Observer. The report quotes Samuel Palmisano, chairman and chief executive of computer giant IBM, who says that "multinationals are dead. In their wake is a new creature - the 'globally integrated enterprise' (GIE) - which does not exploit nations or workers but seeks to 'open new possibilities for business growth and social progress". The article goes on to say that "Palmisano argues that the GIE represents the business model for the 21st century and that failure to embrace it will lead to financial and social meltdown".

Apple reviewing labour practices in China

Apple is investigating a UK newspaper report picked up in this BBC online article about labour practices in China.

The cost of fast fashion

This article in the People's Daily online describes the cost of consumer demands for lower prices and faster lead times for fashion. This is exacerbated by multi-national companies giving short lead times in order to minimise the cost of storage. This in turn means Chinese workers must work more and more overtime to complete orders, or face losing business. The article says the manufacturers face a dilemma; either go broke quickly, or go broke slowly.

Co-op turns down £9.9m worth business

Althought the Co-operative Bank turned down nearly £10m business last year on ethical grounds, the bank calculates over one third of its £96.5m pre-tax profit can be attributed to its ethical stance reports the Guardian.

Nike and Apple join forces

This is interesting as BBC reports that Nike and Apple have joined forces to launch products for runners. An increasing number of companies are co-branding. Retailers work with banks to provide store cards and financial services, or new outlets for their products. But what impact will this have on either companies' reputation, especially if there is disparity in consumer perceptions?

Tesco tank parked on Sainsbury's lawn says King

In a Guardian report on supermarkets and environmental issues, Sainsbury's group Chief Executive says "It is a huge and hot topic at the moment, but it is core to the way we do business."

How business needs to be "a good neighbour"

Tesco's Terry Leahy is quoted in The Telegraph as saying, "The battle to win customers will increasingly be fought not just on value, choice and convenience but on being good neighbours, being active in communities, seizing the environmental challenges and on behaving responsibly." Todd Stitzer, chief executive of Cadbury Schweppes, also was quoted as saying companies needed to "loudly and proudly communicate our values... what we stand for, what we are doing and why we are doing it".