SustainabilityHQ.com Weekly Highlights July 12, 2012

Scientists attribute extreme weather to man-made climate change
(Wednesday - July 11, 2012)
Source: Guardian.co.uk - Climate change researchers have been able to attribute recent examples of extreme weather to the effects of human activity on the planet's climate systems for the first time, marking a major step forward in climate research.

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

• CBRE Group Inc (NYSE:CBG) Publishes Corporate Responsibility Report 2011
  July 11, 2012 Source: Just Means ReportAlert

• Marathon Oil Publishes 2011 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report
  July 10, 2012 Source: MarketWatch

• Appleton Coated Shares "Greener" Corporate Sustainability Report
  July 10, 2012 Source: My Print Resource.com

• Shaw Industries Group, Inc. Releases 4th Annual Sustainability Report
  July 9, 2012 Source: Digital Journal

• San Diego International Airport Launches First Sustainability Report
  July 9, 2012 Source: Scoop San Diego

• NiSource Publishes 2011 Sustainability Report
  July 9, 2012 Source: MarketWatch

• RockTenn Publishes First Corporate Sustainability Report
  July 9, 2012 Source: The Street

• Dow's 2011 Annual Sustainability Report Earns "A+" Rating
  July 9, 2012 Source: Dow

• Styron Publishes 2011 Sustainability and CSR Report
  July 9, 2012 Source: MarketWatch

• IBM Sustainability Report: $43M in Energy Costs Saved in 2011
  July 9, 2012 Source: Mother Nature Network

• STMicroelectronics publishes its 15th Sustainability Report
  July 2, 2012 Source: STMicroelectronics

• Johnson & Johnson 2011 Responsibility Report
  July 2, 2012 Source: Johnson & Johnson

United Kingdom

• E.ON UK publishes its Cleaner and Better Energy report
  July 10, 2012 Source: Ethical Performance

• Vodafone Group plc (LON:VOD) publishes its Sustainability Report 2012
  July 9, 2012 Source: Vodafone Group

• SABMiller publishes its 2012 Sustainable Development Report
  July 2, 2012 Source: SABMiller

United Kingdom

• Experian launches Corporate Responsibility report
  July 2, 2012 Source: Experian

ESG / Sustainability

Fat CEO Paychecks to Get a Hefty Trim in France
(Wednesday - July 11, 2012)
Source: Daily Finance - How much more does your average American CEO make than you? In 2011, the average CEO of a company large enough to be listed in the Standard & Poor's Index was paid 380 times what his employees earned.

NSA chief: Cyber-attacks skyrocket, account for largest 'transfer of wealth' ever
(Tuesday - July 10, 2012)
Source: Fox News - The head of the National Security Agency and U.S. cyber-command said Monday that cyber-attacks shot up 44 percent in 2011 -- and now account for the "greatest transfer of wealth in history."

Drought Reaches Record 56% of Continental US - YAHOO!
(Monday - July 09, 2012) Associated Profiles : Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC)
Source: Yahoo - The United States is parched, with more than half of the lower 48 states experiencing moderate to extreme drought, according to a report released last week. Just under 56 percent of the contiguous United States is in drought...

Commentary

Sustainability? Business gets it
(Friday - July 06, 2012)
Source: News and Observer - ‘The most formidable challenge we face is global climate change.” That statement comes not from an academic, political pundit or environmental advocacy organization, but from America’s largest bank: Bank of America, headquartered...

Cuomo Legacy Comes Full Circle in NY State
(Wednesday - July 11, 2012)
Source: Mike Benard , featured commentator - Is the Cuomo legacy coming full circle – like father, like son? Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo suggests that the “southern tier” of New York State, along the border of Pennsylvania, is a good place to initiate high-volume...[more]

Sovereign Wealth Funds

GOP senators question loan for Fisker Automotive - detroitnews.com
(Wednesday - July 11, 2012) Associated Profiles : Qatar Investment Authority
Source: Detroit News - Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. John Thune, R-South Dakota, questioned why the Energy Department invested in Fisker when it is partly owned by the Qatar Investment Authority: "Why should the American taxpayer have to accept...

Geneva Bankers Tap Old Ties to Find New Riches Amid Arab Spring - Bloomberg
(Tuesday - July 10, 2012) Associated Profiles : Aabar Investments PJSC
Source: Bloomberg - Most Middle East wealth in Switzerland is held in Geneva, said Heiner Weber, who heads an office in the city for Falcon Private Bank Ltd., which is owned by Abu Dhabiâ??s government- controlled Aabar Investments PJSC....

Big funds show way for investors - The Vancouver Sun
(Friday - July 06, 2012) Associated Profiles : Canadian Pension Plan (SPF)
Source: Vancouver Sun - The average individual investor can't make the kind of blockbuster private deals in real estate, pipelines and toll roads that large Canadian pension ... by funds like the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Caisse de...

Asset Managers

Study: Sept. 11 most memorable TV moment - AP - msnbc.com
(Wednesday - July 11, 2012) Associated Profiles : State Street Global Advisors (SSgA)
Source: MSNBC - Sony was interested in the study for clues on consumer interests and behaviors and found "that television is really the grandmother of all the social devices," said Brian Siegel, vice president of television business...

Spain deepens austerity under European pressure - Reuters UK
(Wednesday - July 11, 2012) Associated Profiles : State Street Global Advisors (SSgA)
Source: Reuters - "We are living in a crucial moment that will determine the future of our families, our youth, our social welfare and all our hopes," he said. "That is the reality. We have to get out of this mess and we have to do it as soon as ...

Fink Prepares BlackRock for New Chapter as Acquisition Era Ends (Boston) - Oregonian
(Monday - July 09, 2012) Associated Profiles : BlackRock Investment Management
Source: Oregon Live - BOSTON — Laurence Fink used at least half a dozen acquisitions to expand BlackRock Inc. from a boutique bond shop to the world's biggest money manager. Now the firm, which invests $3.7 trillion for clients around the world, faces...

Future unclear for Barclays investment bank arm - Reuters India
(Friday - July 06, 2012) Associated Profiles : State Street Global Advisors (SSgA)
Source: Reuters India - British banks must separate and "ring-fence" domestic retail banking from riskier areas. But in the current environment, a sale or a spin-off of the investment bank might attract few suitors or investors, with depressed...

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 July 12, 2012