Business ethics and corporate social responsibility - Anglo American | Anglo American case studies, videos, social media and information Anglo American is one of the world”s leading mining companies. It is a UK public limited company and operates on a global scale. Anglo American operates mainly in the primary sector of the world economy. This, as the name suggests, covers industries involved in the first stage of economic activity, such as mining and agriculture. Anglo American operates throughout the world. As a primary producer, Anglo American plays an important role in the world economy. Anglo American produces five main types of raw material. Mining operations can have a big impact on the environment and on the societies where they work. Like all businesses, mining companies are under increasing scrutiny from pressure groups as well as the general public. This case study shows how Anglo American seeks to make ethical choices in its business practice.
The Evolver Network | Building Community For the New Planetary Culture recyclingtechnologies.co.uk Could China's 'green fence' prompt a global recycling innovation? | Guardian Sustainable Business | The Guardian China sent shock waves through the global recycling market this year when it announced it would no longer be accepting poorly sorted or dirty shipments of recyclable waste from foreign exporters. It's estimated that more than 800,000 tonnes of recyclables or scrap have been rejected since February via Operation Green Fence, China's first major campaign to enforce its stringent waste quality legislation. This has caused chaos at some ports, where Chinese customs officials conducting rigorous checks have suspended the import licences of 247 companies. As western exporters scramble to ensure the commercial viability of this dynamic market, worth $5bn (£3.2bn) annually in plastic scrap alone, will this new crackdown prompt a wave of sustainable recycling innovation in the west? China controls a large portion of the recycling market, importing about 70% of the world's 500m tonnes of electronic waste and 12m tonnes of plastic waste each year.
How gadget makers aren't helping our e-waste problem Chances are high that you'll be getting or giving new electronics this holiday season: an iPhone upgrade for mum perhaps, or maybe a new Windows 8 ultrabook. Device upgrades have become increasingly frequent for many of us. Unfortunately, too many people give virtually no thought to what becomes of all these discarded gadgets. And neither are most device manufacturers. Some 41.5 million tons of electronic waste was generated in 2011, and that number is expected to rise to 93.5 million by 2016, according to the research firm MarketsandMarkets. Oh sure, many companies have green initiatives. In the past, computers were designed to be relatively easy to disassemble, like HP'stowers and older versions of the Mac Mini. As mobile gadgets exploded we became a culture that abandoned its gear regularly, on a massive scale. Electronics include a host of environmentally deleterious chemicals like mercury, cadmium, lead, phosphors, arsenic, and beryllium. But that's only part of the equation.
(PHOTOS) Transforming Agbogbloshie: From Toxic E-Waste Dump Into Model Recycling Center | The Pollution Blog On October 9, Agbogbloshie, Ghana – one of the world’s largest e-waste dumpsites – got something new. The sense of excitement grew when residents saw a group of about a dozen men carrying a towering sign through town before planting it in the ground and raising it up in a Herculean effort, with six men on each side pushing and pulling. The 20-foot tall sign announced the launch of a pilot project – the opening of a new e-waste recycling facility that could transform the way recyclers work in one of the worst polluted places on earth. “Everyone is talking about how this is just the beginning,” said Kira Traore, the program director for Africa at Blacksmith Institute for a Pure Earth. “I think we are seeing a real commitment to changing the e-waste recycling industry.” Stripping e-waste can save lives by reducing the vast amount of toxic fumes that are released by burning, poisoning thousands (an estimated 250,000 people are at risk) and contaminating the community’s land, water and food.
Global Witness Companies' conflict mineral reports are mixed as SEC deadline passes | Guardian Sustainable Business While some US companies are racing to the wire to file their first ever conflict minerals reports, due to the US Securities and Exchange Commission today, those filed so far range greatly in clarity and detail. Some tech giants that have taken a lead on this issue - such as Intel, HP and Apple - filed in-depth reports last week. Meanwhile others, including Herman Miller, Soda Stream, and Oracle, can best be described as vague. The SEC’s requirement offers a first glimpse into the often-murky backdrop of a company’s global supply chain, particularly of companies in the consumer technology and electronics industries. This first ever conflict minerals report has stirred up much controversy, panic and corporate consternation, particularly surrounding the daunting task and complexity of putting together a first conflict minerals report. To date, big players in consumer technology such as Microsoft, Amazon and Walmart have yet to file. Detailed disclosures From good to vague
Press Release: Change and Hope Comes To Agbogbloshie - Pure Earth Change and Hope Comes To Agbogbloshie: Africa’s Largest E-waste Dump Begins Transformation to Model Recycling Center October 22, 2014–A celebration marked the opening of the new e-waste recycling facility in Agbogbloshie, Accra, Ghana. Dignitaries, dancers, performing school children and a balloon archway stood out in sharp contrast in this sooty, trash-strewn landscape. This collaborative effort to transform Agbogbloshie from one of the world’s largest e-waste dumps into a model recycling center was launched on October 9, 2014 by Blacksmith Institute for a Pure Earth, a New York-based non-profit, with local partners Green Advocacy Ghana (GreenAd) and the Greater Accra Scrap Dealers Association (GASDA). The start-up of the new e-waste recycling facility includes four automated wire-stripping units, housed in repurposed bright blue shipping containers, staffed with newly trained workers. See photos; Read about the opening in The Pollution Blog; Learn about the project Contact:
Agbogbloshie - A First Visit | Partner West Africa Although I had seen photos and videos from Agbogbloshie in Accra, and knew that it would be far from pleasant, nothing had prepared me for the utter devastation that you’re faced with when you experience the place in person. Last week, myself, another Partner West Africa Trustee, Chrissy and her daughter Holly visited Agbogbloshie. We approached via a phenomenally busy road with traffic jams in all directions. Nearing the site we turned left and skirted along the Southern Industrial Estate with a market on either side of the road. Piles of scrap metal become more frequent and one stall houses a large set of scales to weigh whatever is brought along to trade. The road follows a bridge over Korle Lagoon and there before you is the first true indication of why this place is called Sodom and Gomorrah. The lagoon itself is around 50 m in width but the water level varies depending on the season. Behind us are the shacks, in which people live and from which some conduct their business.
The Ten Principles Email Home / About Us / The Ten Principles The Ten Principles The UN Global Compact's ten principles in the areas of human rights, labour, the environment and anti-corruption enjoy universal consensus and are derived from: The UN Global Compact asks companies to embrace, support and enact, within their sphere of influence, a set of core values in the areas of human rights, labour standards, the environment and anti-corruption: Human Rights Principle 1: Businesses should support and respect the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights; and Principle 2: make sure that they are not complicit in human rights abuses. Labour Principle 3: Businesses should uphold the freedom of association and the effective recognition of the right to collective bargaining; Principle 4: the elimination of all forms of forced and compulsory labour; Principle 5: the effective abolition of child labour; and Principle 6: the elimination of discrimination in respect of employment and occupation.
Environment The UN Global Compact’s environment principles are derived from the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The three principles are: Corporate Environmental Responsibility The world is today facing unique and daunting environmental challenges. These include climate change; an emerging global crisis in water availability and water pollution; record loss of biodiversity and long-term damage to ecosystems; pollution of the atmosphere; waste production and disposal; impacts of chemicals use and toxic substance disposal; damaged aquatic ecosystems; and deforestation and land degradation. In recent years, increasing numbers of companies have adopted broad-based strategies and policies to manage the widening array of risks, and in some cases opportunities, presented by these environmental challenges. Environmental Stewardship Strategy Download Environmental Stewardship Strategy Publication Engagement Platforms – Climate Change and Water Sustainable Energy for All UN Core Agency Contact
Fundraising Recycling | Mobile & Technology Recycling | Redeem Easy and environmentally friendly way to dispose of used goods and raise money In the past 3 years in the UK over £300m has been donated to Charity through recycling We recycle mobile phones, electrical gadgets, printer cartridges and more! The UK dumps 7m tonnes more waste into landfill than any other country, according to the Local Government Association. Only 25% of this waste is currently recycled and a large majority of it can be reused. Redeems Recycling Appeal offers you the opportunity to reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfill, meet the WEEE directive and provides a unique fundraising opportunity! Just send us your old printer cartridges, electrical gadgets (including mobile phones, tablets, cameras and ipods), CDs or DVDs . Re-use or recycle: All products sent to us are either re-used or recycled. Find out more about Recycool or Recycing Appeal
The PLUS Decision Making Model | Ethics Resource Center - Step 1: Define the problem PLUS - Step 2: Identify alternatives - Step 3: Evaluate the alternatives PLUS - Step 4: Make the decision - Step 5: Implement the decision - Step 6: Evaluate the decision PLUS Introduction The traditional decision making model taught in most ethics programs is beyond the reading comprehension level of an estimated 25% of the employee population. We need an alternative model capable of ensuring that the ethical issues inherent in routine business situations could be effectively surfaced while making the model easy to use by people who were functionally semi-illiterate. While developing this alternative model we kept two overriding conations in mind: Every employee is called upon to make decisions in the normal course of doing his/her job. The decision making process we adopted was carefully constructed to meet several criteria. The Decision Making Process