Everyone is calling for more accountability in development. Accountability is the stated aspiration of multi-hundred million-dollar funds; the topic of keynote speeches, the central component of development projects. But accountability is still largely seen as a toolbox of metrics and mechanisms to bolt on existing development projects.
We now have a unique opportunity, the new AccountAbility 21 Report convincingly demonstrates, to reinvent accountability, placing it firmly at the heart of development. From novel methods of convening stakeholders to counting tools that cast a spotlight on unaccountable behaviour, the report celebrates the wealth of accountability innovations worldwide. But it also finds that without better frameworks for collaboration and mutual accountability between development actors, convening and counting soon lead to participation fatigue.
The report sets out proposals for building an accountability groundswell, with new responsibilities and clear frameworks for collaboration between governments, donors, businesses, civil society and standards setting bodies.
The report, written by Alejandro Litovsky and Alex MacGillivray, has been published in London in April 2007. To learn more and to download the Full Report, please click here.
Shortly after Milton Friedman’s passing, Paul Krugman, Professor of economics at Princeton and columnist of the New York Times," revisits the work of one of the world’s most important economists. You can read this most interesting review, the response addressed to the author by Anna J. Schwartz from the National Bureau of Economic Research and his reanswer here.
Ashridge, in partnership with the European Academy of Business in Society (EABIS) and EABIS Founding Partner Microsoft Europe, are pleased to announce the international launch of the 8th Ashridge European MBA Essay Award. This unique competition for MBA students will challenge entrants to submit reflective pieces on the new challenges and roles that companies will undertake in a knowledge-based economy.
The 2007 MBA Essay Award will be judged by a distinguished panel. The student who writes the most exceptional essay, chosen for its originality, relevant insights and depth of analysis, will win the top prize of € 6,000 with a deserving runner-up receiving a prize of € 2,000. Both will be announced and presented at the EABIS 6th Annual Colloquium in Barcelona on September 20.
The competition addresses an area for debate that is complex, fascinating and full of dilemmas, but one that speaks directly to the challenges facing the managers of today and tomorrow.
History of the European MBA Essay Award
For the past eight years Ashridge has run this competition to further debate about the role of business in society and to do so in a way accessible to a wide audience, particularly to business leaders and public policy-makers. The award is intended to raise awareness within MBA student communities about the relevance of business in society issues to the MBA curriculum, which is very much in line with EABIS’ commitment to integrating corporate responsibility into the heart of mainstream business education and practice.
For many years Microsoft has been at the forefront of exploring the role technology and learning can play in creating economic opportunity. Supporting the Ashridge MBA Essay Award focused on this particular subject comes as a natural extension of Microsoft’s corporate citizenship.
Criteria and further information
The award is open to full- or part-time students enrolled in an accredited MBA programme during the 2006/2007 academic year at a European Business School or at a non-European member school. The closing date for entries is 28 June 2007.
For further information on the award and details on how to enter, visit the award website here or e-mail Matthew Gitsham at Ashridge ( matthew.gitsham@ashridge.org.uk ).
For all inquiries directed to Microsoft please contact: Elena Bonfiglioli, Director Corporate Citizenship Microsoft EMEA Email: elenab@microsoft.com
This report sets out the rationale for and current progress towards sustainable consumption and production, including the challenge of a "one planet economy", the drivers, techniques and enablers of sustainable consumption and production and a list of useful information resources. The report is available for download from the Publications section of the University of Cambridge Programme for Industry website (www.cpi.cam.ac.uk) or directly here
As the issues of business-in-society have moved from the periphery of public dialogue to the center stage of discussion the latest developments, including the European Union decision to cut emissions by 20% by 2020, then Business Week’s ongoing attention to profitable greening, drive us to look forward to research updates of the Academy of Management “Doing Well By Doing Good” conference. As such the questions of what’s next become more visible.
What’s next? Where do we, as a field, want to go? What do we - as a community of shared vision - want to turn our attention to?
This event seeks to provide a platform to connect around issues of business-in-society; to bring back together all the thinking partners linked by the Global Forum 2006 and other initiatives, and to share news, questions, and updates the field has to offer. We invite you to participate at this inspiring conference that will be held entirely online on April 26th & 27th, 2007.
Participation is FREE but you need to register by April 25.
For more information on presenters and features please click here To register please click here
Cranfield School of Management has announced the appointment of David Grayson as the Director to lead the newly established Doughty Centre for Corporate Responsibility. The Doughty Centre aspires to be the leading organisation of its kind in Europe and will look at all aspects of business in society and corporate responsibility.
David Grayson, who took up his position on April 2nd 2007, has spent most of his career as a social entrepreneur and has been involved in the set up or development of a number of public-private-community partnerships including The Prince’s Youth Business Trust, Business in the Community (BITC), Business Link, “Project North East” and the National Disability Council. David is a Senior Visiting Fellow at the “CSR Initiative” at Kennedy School at Harvard and is a regular contributor at the European Academy for Business in Society (EABIS). He was awarded on OBE in 1994 for services to industry and a CBE in 1999 for services to disability.
The Centre was made possible as a result of a major personal donation by Nigel Doughty, Co-founder of Doughty Hanson & Co. and a Cranfield MBA alumnus.
To view the official announcement and all further information please visit the website of the Cranfield School of Management here
EABIS and Founding Partners To Lead Corporate Responsibility Measurement Session at Responsible Business Summit- London, May 9-10
We are pleased to announce the upcoming “Responsible Business Summit” from Ethical Corporation and Business in the Community, which will take place in London on May 9-10. The conference is set to be one of Europe’s largest corporate responsibility gatherings of 2007, and through our role as Supporting Partner, we have secured a 20% registration discount for EABIS Members who wish to attend the event (see below for details).
EABIS, London Business School and Unilever To Lead CR Measurement Session
The event constitutes a merger of Ethical Corporation’s Europe Summit and BITC’s Annual Corporate Responsibility Index conferences. EABIS will feature prominently in the ‘Solutions Marketplace & Management Breakout’ programme during the second day, where Executive Director Peter Lacy will collaborate with Founding Partners London Business School and Unilever to run a dedicated session on effective measurement of responsible business practices.
This high-level reflective session will involve:
Peter Lacy, Executive Director, EABIS, Chair of Session
Sir Andrew Likierman, Acting Dean, London Business School
Santiago Gowland, Institutional Relations Director, Unilever N.V.
Robert Bailey, Policy Advisor, Oxfam International
Sir Andrew Likierman will provide a robust academic perspective in the debate, drawing on his work that examines ways for companies to improve performance measurement. The theme of measurement difficulties and managerial methods to tackle them was explored in his recent article titled “Acting ethically – and being able to prove it”, published in Ethical Corporation Magazine’s December 2006 issue. To read the article, please click here.
Another highlight of the session will be the joint presentation of the most recent learning and insight to emerge from Unilever’s in-depth knowledge development partnership with Oxfam. (This initiative is also referenced in Sir Andrew’s Ethical Corporation article in the context of stakeholder collaboration for better measurement.) You can read the full partnership report here.
EABIS Corporate Members Featuring Elsewhere in the Programme
Participants at the conference will have the opportunity to hear the latest corporate reflections and initiatives from an impressive range of leaders representing some of the world’s largest companies. Among the corporate leaders from the EABIS Business Network will be Hans Ulrich Maerki, Chairman of IBM (EMEA) and Ramon Olle, CEO of Epson Europe.
Other senior executives and business leaders to address the conference and articulate their vision of corporate responsibility in 2020 will include:
Julio Moura, CEO of Grupo Nueva
Francesco Vanni D’Archirafi, CEO of Citigroup GTS
Alain Grisay, CEO of F&C Asset Management
Jeremy Hobbs, Executive Director of Oxfam International
Richard Lambert, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry
Roland Verstappen, VP International Affairs and Sustainable Development of Arcelor Mittal
Malcolm Lane, Director Corporate Affairs of Tata Group
To benefit from the 20% special discount to Members please contact Charis Desinioti, EABIS Communications Coordinator (charis.desinioti@eabis.org) who will provide you with the reference code you will need to quote if you register online, via email or phone. The special discount is valid for registration until the conference date.
An analysis of voluntary corporate responsibility initiatives has been released in a new free report from Ethical Corporation. Responsible business partnerships aiming to tackle some of the most difficult issues facing both business and society are now all the rage. The new, free, special PDF report examines their goals, origins and future and focuses on the progress they are making.
For the full report please visit the Ethical Corporation website here.
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