Social Responsibility

The Asia-Pacific Center for Environmental Law (APCEL) is located at the National University of Singapore and was established to expand environmental legal education and promote awareness of environmental issues. The website offers reports and publications as well as listings of workshops, conferences, and other activities related to environmental law in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre provides extensive information and resources on the business and human rights subject. It reports on the human rights impacts of companies worldwide, covering 6,000 companies in over 180 countries. Information is available by region/country, sector, individual company, or business organization. Other topics include issues, laws and lawsuits, principles, the United Nations, and other international organizations.

Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) is an organization that promotes social responsibility for companies of all sizes. It provides its members with a wide array of tools to design and successfully implement policies that are in line with social, economic, and environmental responsibility. Additionally, BSR provides news and analysis of current issues as they pertain to sustainable development, training, and advisory services for member companies.

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is an international organization established by Canada, Mexico, and the United States to address environmental matters. The site includes reports and publications providing information on environmental topics such as ecosystems, green economy, enforcement, pollutants, and climate change. In addition, the site provides tools and resources, press releases, upcoming events, and a virtual library.

The Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire (CSR Wire) is a newswire service which promotes the growth of corporate social responsibility and sustainability through solutions-based information and examples. The site's core content includes news, corporate reports and links, CSR events and CSR live, an interactive forum relating to corporate citizenship, sustainability, and social responsibility initiatives.

The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is a trade association that strengthens and promotes North American organizations committed to fair trade. Users of the site can explore fair trade, find fair trade products and members, as well as resources to help start a fair trade business.

Fair Trade USA educates consumers and brings new manufacturers and retailers into the fair trade system, and provides farmers with tools, training, and resources to thrive as international businesspeople. They connect farmers, cooperatives, and US businesses to facilitate joint business opportunities, relationships, and the growth of the fair trade market. Fair Trade USA also offers impact reports on the performance of specific products. A blog, along with news and updates on fair trade is also available.

Fairtrade International (FLO) coordinates fair trade labeling at an international level. The organization sets fair trade standards, organizes support, develops strategy, and promotes justice internationally. Also included on the website are fair trade standards, programs, products, and news.

The Federation of European Employers (FedEE) provides information on human resources, employment law, pay and job evaluation, and labor regulations. Membership to the site is optional and much of the information can be accessed without one.

GoodCorporation focuses on responsible business management in several sectors, specifically in areas where risk is present. This site includes a news section, resources and guidelines to assess corporations, and a listing of GoodCorporation members and clients.

This is a sub-website within the Harvard Business School (HBS) Working Knowledge website. It provides featured research reports by HBS professors on the topic of the social responsibility of enterprises. In addition, it also provides featured links to books and websites that focus on corporate social responsibility topics.

The goal of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance is to promote urban development while focusing on improving the environment. The site is used for large-scale development projects that are to be implemented for research and forecasts, as well as evaluating the impact of business operations on the environment.

India Together aims to inform users of development and policy issues in India. Included on the website is helpful information and resources on an array of topics all focused on achieving prosperity in India. Topic areas available on the website include agriculture, economy, environment, media, and government. Also included on the website is an interactive section allowing users to ask questions and engage in discussions, as well as editorials and interviews.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) engages decision-makers in government, business, non-government organizations, and other sectors to develop and implement policies that promote change through sustainable development. For detailed information on a specific topic users can select a theme or initiative. The publications database captures IISD's institutional and research history.

Provided by the International Labour Organization (ILO), NORMLEX is a database containing information on international labor standards. The site includes country profiles, reporting and ratification information, and key documents.

Japan for Sustainability (JFS) is a non-profit organization providing information on developments and activities in Japan that lead toward sustainability. The site has a variety of news articles on topics such as biodiversity, steady-state economy, and energy. The JFS newsletter, issued monthly, summarizes the latest environmental trends and topics in Japan.

A site devoted to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) news and resources, Mallen Baker provides visitors with up-to-date news, archived content, and other web links. A free monthly newsletter is offered to voluntary subscribers, which offers a pro-business, pro-responsibility perspective on current topics regarding CSR in the workplace.

The Development section of the Organisation for Economic and Co-operation and Development (OECD) site provides statistics on a variety of topics, such as aiding developing countries in architecture, effectiveness, and trade. Publications are also available on issues such as gender equality and poverty reduction.

The Swedish Environmental Code constitutes environmental legislation aimed at promoting sustainable development. Provided by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the page includes information on this code, as well as links to the code itself and other Swedish environmental statutes.

The Fairtrade Foundation is the independent non-profit organization that licenses use of the FAIRTRADE Mark on products in the UK, which serves to help small-scale farmers and workers. The foundation site provides information on licensed products, certified producer organizations organized by product type, and various resources on fair trade.

The Global Development Research Center's (GDRC) program on Sustainable Business focuses on preventive and management solutions, encompassing pollution, prevention, LCA/material flows, industrial symbiosis, consumer education and related issues. Much of the site links to outside sources, but the documents and reports section provides primary information.

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is an official collaborating center of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with direct cooperation with the Secretary-General. Its mission is to develop guidelines by which companies can voluntarily report the dimensions of their social, economic, and environmental policies. It offers news, events, forums and reports.

The Corporate Giving by the FTSE 100 report, provided by the Charities Aid Foundation, offers detailed information regarding the level of charitable contributions given by the largest companies in the United Kingdom. The report offers a wide variety of data ranging from a ranking of industries with the highest corporate giving totals to a summary of aggregate FTSE 100 corporate giving over the last several years. Opens in PDF.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) offers a broad range of resources concerning issues surrounding climate change. In addition to daily updates and information about what kind of action is being taken, the site offers an extensive background about climate change, a detailed outline of the Kyoto Agreement, and national reports of emissions data.

World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global association of companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development. The organization focuses on four main areas with respect to social responsibility: energy and climate, development, the business role, and ecosystems. The site provides information on these areas as well as projects and initiatives of the WBCSD. Additionally, the site contains publications and news articles related to sustainability.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) provides information related to the environment and business, and how to successfully manage them. Their content covers such topics as climate, energy, transport, governance, business, and finance. The site also has information on programs and projects of the institute.