http://www.rethos.com/kld/ Recent news brought to you by Rethos.com en-us blog <p>Coca-Cola <span class="caps">CEO E</span>. Neville Isdell has urged ‘more companies to get involved’ in protecting the environment. He spoke to a crowd of his peers at a meeting of the UN’s Global Compact in Geneva on July 7.</p> <p>The Reuters report on his speech described his fervor with phrases such as ‘rattling the pulpit’ and ‘railing against his fellow executives to stand up and do more to protect the environment — particularly drinkable water’.</p> <p>Exciting – and significant – as Isdell’s speech is, the Reuters story also captured the dilemma for co... Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:03:27 -0400 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/287 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/287 blog <p>Traditional financial management curicula establish that a corporation’s primary objective is to maximize the value of the firm and, in turn, maximize shareholders’ return. Advocacy groups and the socially responsible investing (SRI) community have nothing against companies that strive to increase earnings — so long as profits aren’t maximized at the expense of local communities, employees, and the environment.</p> <p>What’s been difficult, though, is making the link between environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and financial performance. Over the years, dozens o... Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:57:10 -0400 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/286 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/286 blog <p>Over the past couple of months, China’s response to expanding concerns over the safety of products manufactured there has ranged from the execution of the former head of China’s food and drug administration, to a complete disavowal of any responsibility for enforcing foreign standards.</p> <p>The latter is evident in a quotation that caught my eye in an Associated Press article, “Toys just 1 danger imported from China,” (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/News/ToysJust1DangerImportedFromChina.aspx) published on August 18th in response to Mattel’s latest announced recall o... Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:50:38 -0400 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/285 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/285 blog <p>One of the under-reported heroes of the environmental cause is Patriarch Bartholomew I of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The story below reflects his efforts.</p> <p>Before turning to the story, I’d like to quote some words of the Patriarch from his visit to the US ten years ago:</p> <p>To commit a crime against the natural world is a sin. For humans to cause species to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation, for humans to degrade the integrity of the Earth by causing changes in its climate, stripping the Earth of its natural forests, or destroyi... Tue, 18 Sep 2007 16:37:15 -0400 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/284 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/284 blog <p>In the litany of failed technologies introduced by industry leaders, Sony’s Betamax—a videotape technology superior to its rival, <span class="caps">VHS</span>—probably leads the 20th century list.</p> <p>Topping the 19th century list is Edison’s direct current (DC) electric transmission. At low levels, Westinghouse’s alternating current (AC) seemed a more efficient, safer means of transmitting power locally.</p> <p>It may be that Edison had it right. DC allows transmission across greater distances with less power loss than AC. That may be crucial in bringing more wind an... Tue, 18 Sep 2007 15:25:56 -0400 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/283 http://www.rethos.com/news/view/283