Businesses Doing the Right Thing

Desjardins, a cooperative powerhouse, has released its 2008 Social Responsibility and Cooperative Report. Based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) performance indicators, their social and cooperative responsibility report describes Desjardins' actions for social responsibility, sustainable development and cooperative life. Have a look at it all online by clicking on the image below.

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This is a personal account of green consumer disappointment and a parable on corporate actions that can kill credibility outright. I've been an apple user (computer that is) for over 10 years now. We were all on Macs when I started working for Adbusters in '97. Maybe that's when the branding of Apple with creativity and social awareness began for me as well. If you had asked me then, which system was more eco-friendly: Mac or Windows PCs, I would have gone with Apple, without really knowing why. They were the underdog then, the alternative to the corporate monolith that Windows-run systems represented. So, naturally, they were the machine of choice for many activists I knew at the time.

Then Greenpeace began seriously digging into the environmental practices chez Mac and opened up a real can of worms. Their 'Green my Apple' campaign in 06 and 07 was very effective precisely because it targetted that warm fuzzy feeling eco-minded users had for the brand, the feeling that gave Apples a green glow that the products really didn't deserve. Apparently, the campaign got to Apple, as Steve Jobs announced soon after their intention to address some of the concerns raised, including the removal of some toxic elements from the production process.

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Find and write up sustainable business practices and you could win a 500$ parka...

This fall, we're encouraging the submission of sustainable business practices from our community of students, consultants, company reps and other sustainability enthusiasts.

If you identify a sustainable business practice that isn't yet in our database, and provide a 1000-1500 word writeup according to our submission guidelines by November 30st 2009, you could qualify to win one of our great eco-ethical prizes including one of two Canada Goose down-filled parkas worth approximately 500$ each! Given the specific knowledge-base required, the challenge is identifying a case study we have not yet found and writing it up according to requirements. If your submission is accepted, chances of winning one of the prizes are quite high!

>>Click here to see prizes

Here are some useful links:

-Contest Rules
-Prizes
-Overview of what a Sustainable Business Practice is
-Sustainable Business Practice publication guidelines Read more

Here's an article on greener electronics we just updated  including tips for Canadians on e-waste disposal

The world of high tech has traditionally been more obsessed with gadgetry and lightning-speed progress than such everyday concerns as the environment and social welfare. However, new sensitivities have lately begun growing a larger space in geek culture and several social and environmental initiatives are worth keeping track of.

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Learn how a caterer made the switch to compostable packaging on ethipedia.net

ethipedia.net, our encyclopedia of sustainable business practices, now has the support of the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC). Seeing the role this new resource could play in helping small and medium-sized Canadian businesses move towards greener operations, BDC has become the official sponsor of the site's Canadian case studies.   

 
"We welcome BDC’s support at this early stage of the site's development. We also applaud its foresight and appreciation of the value this assembled knowledge will have for Canadian businesses striving to gain a competitive edge by becoming sustainability innovators," states ethipedia Co-founder, Brenda Plant.Read more

ethiquette is proud to announce the Cascades group as a year-long sponsor of ethiquette.ca.

This Quebec paper products company has in the recycling biz ince 1964. Today, the company is Canada’s pre-eminent recycler of paper. Since 2005, we have presented their paper products on the site as environmentally-preferable choices. We now invite site visitors to discover the many eco-innovations this green leader has incorporated into its operations.

With recycling as part of its core business, it comes as no surprise that this paper company can boast some outstanding environmental value for consumers and society.

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When an already ethical employer goes one step further, we're happy to write about it!

Since our beginnings in 2005, ethiquette has been following the developments at Canada Goose Inc., an extreme outerwear company that had bravely decided to go against the grain and to keep making its products locally when the overwhelming trend was to de-localize to cheap production sites overseas where worker conditions often take a back seat. Read more

We all know the common stories of multinationals behaving reprehensibly in poorer countries as they exploit cheap labour and resources. Well, here's a completely different narrative drawn from http://ethipedia.net  One in which a multinational partners with the champion of microcredit to make its products accessible to less fortunate populations and to ensure that it complements their dietary needs. Have a look.

Grameen Danone Foods: A Socially Innovative Business Model

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A great new video is out presenting the Productive House eco condos.

This is a project we have been following and supporting for some time now - the creation of an uber-ecological condo complex in Montreal's Pointe St Charles district. Produktif design studio, the change agent making this happen has just released its new site with video tours of the building project, very interesting stuff and some great eco design insights here!Read more