Renee Henze of IFF and Nathan Sell of the ACI: The Future of Trade Associations & Sustainability Policy 3/27/24 (3/3)

This article discusses how businesses can thrive by achieving a net positive impact on people and the planet, and avoiding achieving returns by creating problems for people and planet. Calls on businesses to recognize that investing in healthy systems -- economic, civic and natural -- is the key to his positive impact. 

PRI sets out to create the case for investors to encourage responsible corporate political engagement. PRI shares precedent-setting principles followed by detailing the risks faced from irresponsible political engagement practices (e.g. the revolving door), which burden companies, investors, and society alike.

This framework is a comprehensive guide for institutions to justly transition to net-zero emissions, including four core pillars and 20 building blocks that provide practical examples for implementation, with alignment to just transition assessment methodologies.

This report recognizes that the stakeholder environment has shifted for many companies to encompass a broader range of stakeholders, and provides thoughts on how companies can take a truly long-term view of stakeholder interests.

This report goes beyond diversity and inclusion to outline how a business's actions, products and services, have influence within the company, within the community, and more broadly in society. The report provides concrete recommendations for companies.

This report examines current legal frameworks for institutional investors in 11 countries, including the EU, UK, US, Canada, Japan, and Australia and how they link financial returns with sustainability. It finds that in many cases, investors are legally required to consider sustainability if it aligns with financial goals. The report also recommends policy changes to clarify fiduciary duties and make it easier for investors to prioritize sustainability by fostering clearer guidelines and collaboration 

With his background as a former business executive leading companies such as e-Scholastic, the Proactiv Company and Guthy-Renker, Seth Radwell provides both historical context for the political division in the U.S., and a detailed plan on steps we can take to depolarize society. 

This paper reviews how globalization, technology, and financialization have served to decouple business prosperity from social prosperity.  The paper also explores how there can be a "recoupling" of business and social prosperity and move from shareholder maximization to a broader view of stakeholder interests.

Killelea shows how the concept of Positive Peace and its key Indicators portended the insurrection at the US Capitol in January, 2021 – and suggest leverage points to avert future violence.  

A comprehensive evaluation of corporations that gave significant amounts of money to politicians in key swing states that supported or introduced legislation aimed at voter suppression.

Deep analysis of how to incorporate CPR into financial institutions, with a benchmarking proposal to drive successful market signaling initiatives. (See pg 3-20)

This article urges companies to actively reduce the polarization that can impact their businesses, by carefully considering their public stances, promoting inclusivity, and fostering collaboration across differing viewpoints within their organizations and communities.

Introduces the concept of “net positive advocacy,” which involves working with partners to advocate for policy that supports systemic solutions and net positive outcomes for all competitors. This requires courage and a shift in mindset, but actually helps de-risk both sustainable business strategies AND political interactions for companies. Their Readiness Test tool provides a useful conversation starter about the change in mindset required.  

As companies face increased pressure to advocate publicly for robust climate policies, this WRI report outlines three internal and four external barriers, including org charts and quarterly reports as well as trade associations and political winds, that present the biggest hurdles to implementation, and suggests ways to overcome them.