SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights March 15, 2012

Top Story of the Week
The Power of Pensions: Global Scheme Activism at CalPERS, Japan's GPIF, Noway, Others
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS)  Source: ai-cio.com- Public pensions, with assets worth over US$4 trillion globally, have the power to exercise considerable influence over equity markets -- an influence that can extend to shareholder activism, and can be at odds with other...

Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility Reporting
G&A Institute is the Global Reporting Initiative's (GRI) sole data partner for the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. As the data partner we monitor, analyze and database information on all Sustainability reports issued in these territories. Recent Sustainability and CR Reports issued in the USA, UK and Ireland are:

USA

• GRI Releases Report on Its Own Sustainability
  (Thursday - March 08, 2012) Associated Profiles : UN - Global Reporting Initiative GRI Source: Sustainable Planet
• GRI Releases Sustainability Taxonomy, Public Comments on G4
  (Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : UN - Global Reporting Initiative GRI Source: Environmental Leader

UK

• Thomas Cook Group (LON:TCG) publishes Sustainability Report 2011
  (Wednesday - March 14, 2012) Source: Thomas Cook Group
• Capital Shopping Centres publishes 2011 CR Report
  (Wednesday - March 14, 2012)
  Source: Capital Shopping Centres Group (CSC)

ESG / Sustainability

Environmental groups call for tighter regulation of extreme genetic engineering
(Wednesday - March 14, 2012) Associated Profiles : The Conference Board
Source: Washington Post - Genetically engineered microbes that might one day churn out biofuels, clean up toxic waste or generate new medicines need to be proved safe before they are released into the environment, a coalition of 111 environmental and ...

Forum tackles water crisis
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : UN - Environmental Programme
Source: China Daily - Governments and organizations worldwide should cooperate more to tackle water issues so that the world can develop in a more sustainable manner and more people can meet their basic needs, officials said at the 6th World Water

EPA Doubts Its Own Anti-Fracking Study, While Ohio Determines Fracking Did Not Spawn Earthquake Swarm
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Office of Water
Source: Forbes- Some positive news for fracking fans today, with three items that in a rational world would help convince some anti-fracking zealots that they ought to find something else to protest.

Coke, Pepsi make changes to avoid cancer warning
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012)
Source: Reuters - Coca-Cola Co and PepsiCo Inc are making changes to the production of an ingredient in their namesake colas to avoid the need to label the packages with a cancer warning.

Commentary

Why CFOs Are Skeptical About Sustainability
(Wednesday - March 14, 2012)
Source: CFO.com - To a great extent — and unfortunately — "sustainability" is a quality that exists in the mind of the beholder. Earlier this month, Apple posted a report on its website announcing that the company had created or supported 514,000...

The Merits of a Corporate Tax Overhaul
(Wednesday - March 14, 2012)
Source: NY Times - Corporate tax reform is not usually a major issue in a presidential campaign, but it may be this year. President Obama has introduced a bold framework for a business tax overhaul.

Sovereign Wealth Funds

Bloomberg Hosts Sovereign Debt Conference in Frankfurt
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Source: Business- As European governments piece together a second bailout package for Greece in an effort to avoid default on March 20, Bloomberg LINK will gather policy makers, economists, fund man...

China Talks of More Lending but Less Currency Growth
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : China Investment Corporation
Source: NY Times- As China seeks a soft landing for its bubble-prone economy, senior economic officials said on Monday that they might encourage bank lending, while also hinting that the country's currency might not appreciate as rapidly...

UN extends its political mission in Libya with a mandate to promote democracy
(Monday - March 12, 2012) Associated Profiles : Libyan Investment Authority
Source: The Canadian Press - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Monday to extend its political mission in Libya with a mandate to support the government in promoting democracy, restoring public security, and eliminating the flood of weapons in the...

China replaces Europe in funding NY properties
(Thursday - March 08, 2012) Associated Profiles : Istithmar World - Dubai
Source: Business Mirror - CHINA'S oldest bank is expanding in New York lending for trophy buildings as Europe's debt crisis sweeps away the last wave of foreign financiers. Bank of China Ltd. increased its loans outstanding on US properties fivefold...

Asset Managers

Better Fundamentals Lift Commodity Prices
(Wednesday - March 14, 2012) Associated Profiles : Credit Suisse Group AG
Source: International Business Times - Nelson Louie, Global Head of Commodities in Credit Suisse Group AG (ADR) (NYSE:CS) Asset Management division, said, "Commodities were generally supported by an improved macroeconomic environment in ...

Doing business in Italy: Sustainability
(Sunday - March 11, 2012) Associated Profiles : State Street Global Advisors (SSgA)
Source: EU Business- The Italian government encourages businesses to improve environmental standards and act responsibly in this area. The government does not impose measures on sustainability but provides incentives for businesses that wish ...

Gold's Rise Will Go on Long-Term: Investors
(Thursday - March 08, 2012) Associated Profiles : HSBC Global Asset Management
Source: CNBC- The price of gold, the classic safe haven asset, has slipped down in the past couple of weeks - but some investors think this is just a pause before it continues to rise.

Commentary

HSBC's Morris on Investing in Japan
(Tuesday - March 13, 2012) Associated Profiles : HSBC Global Asset Management
Source: Bloomberg- Charles Morris, who oversees the Absolute Return fund at HSBC Global Asset Management, discusses his recommendation for investing in Japan, U.S. technology stocks and gold. He speaks with ...

This is just a sample of some of the articles from this weeks SustainabilityHQ Highlights.  You can view the full Highlights by using the following links.  Sustainability | ESG, Highlights for the Week of March 15, 2012