Social Accountability International's Newsletter - November 2012

Evolving 'CSR': Co-Creating Human Value
Interview with Anant Nadkarni, Vice President of the Tata Council for Community Initiatives (TCCI)

SAAS Releases Statement on Activities in Pakistan
In response to the tragic fire at Ali Enterprises in Karachi, SAAS implements country-wide actions to investigate and enhance the SA8000 system  

AKUT Returns to Pakistan
The Turkish NGO AKUT Search & Rescue Association conducts emergency & fire safety assessments in Pakistan for SAAS

'Pillars in Practice' Program Launch in Copenhagen
Partners convened to discuss program goals to build capacity of local organizations on the UN Guiding Principles for Business & Human Rights

'RAGS' Gender Discrimination Trainings Continue in India
Classroom trainings focus on how to address gender discrimination in the India ready-made garment industry

Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable for Electronics Sector in India
SAI & Cividep invite stakeholders from the electronics sector to November 30 roundtable  

November 27-28, Bangalore: Transforming the UN Guiding Principles into Business Practice
SAI & ICCO to convene a two-day training to help businesses implement the UN Guiding Principles

SA8000 Auditor Training: Bangalore
On September 24-28, SAI convened a Basic Auditor Training course in Bangalore, India

Snapshot: Election Day in Gurgaon for Worker Representatives
On October 23, 2012, workers at a garment factory in Gurgaon, India lined up to cast their vote for worker representatives for the factory's Internal Social Performance Team.

Hurricane Sandy Relief Effort in NYC
After the storm on Oct. 29-30, inspiring volunteer initiatives spring up to help relief effort 

Highlights & Announcements

• ESSTIN Annual Workshops to 'Invent a Responsible Future'
  On October 3 and 4, Alice Tepper Marlin lectured at ESSTIN at the Universite de Lorraine in Nancy, France.  The lectures were part of the annual workshops to 'Invent a Responsible Future.'  Ms. Tepper Marlin gave a lecture and led an interactive workshop with a group of engineering students focused on global responsibility and sustainable development. These workshops were featured in the French newspaper, L'Est Républicain, in the article, "Trois Nobel alternatifs à l'Esstin."
   
• GRI Supply Chain Disclosure Working Group
  On October 29-31, SAI's Jane Hwang participated in the 4th in-person meeting of the working group in Amsterdam. The group is part of the revision process for the GRI Guidelines (G4). See photo above.
   
• UNGC Advisory Group on Supply Chain Sustainability
  On November 14-15 in Berlin, SAI Executive Director Eileen Kaufman will attend this semi-annual meeting, hosted by group member, Volkswagen. Discussions will include a report from its Human Rights task force, which is focusing on contract workers and the UN GPs. The group will also meet with the UNGC German Local Network, and hear from keynote speaker, Peter Eigen, founder of Transparency International and past chair of the EITI.