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NEWS & EVENTS

NEWS

Welcome to our daily roundup of the key news on corporate social responsibility from the daily and weekly press, websites, newswires and broadcast media.

For information on The Corporate Citizenship Company's full portfolio of briefing services, covering issues, sectors and countries, please email the editor at editor@corporate-citizenship.co.uk or call +44 (0) 207 940 5610.

Gordon Brown is preparing for a battle with the European Union over bio-fuels after one of the government's leading scientists warned they could exacerbate climate change rather than combat it.
In an outspoken attack on a policy, which comes into force next week, Professor Bob Watson, the chief scientific adviser at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said it would be wrong to introduce compulsory quotas for the use of bio-fuels in petrol and diesel before their effects had been properly assessed.

Ministers were accused of hypocrisy and extravagance after the Conservatives calculated that Whitehall departments and major public bodies clocked up more than 300 million "air miles" last year. The Tories said the flights would have been enough to take politicians and civil servants to the moon 1,280 times or make 12,240 journeys around the world.

Yesterday, the 7,500 inhabitants of Seaton on the south Devon coast were readying themselves for a new battle after Tesco bought its largest employer, a holiday village, and promptly ordered its closure. The site also houses Seaton's only nursery, catering for 35 children, and a swimming pool.

A new corporate manslaughter law due to come into force next month will expose companies to more police investigations, higher fines and a wider range of possible offences, lawyers claim.

The Corporate Manslaughter Act is a response to widespread criticism of the existing law, after a series of failed prosecutions over disasters such as the 1987 capsising of the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry in the English Channel, which resulted in the deaths of 193 people, and the Southall train crash in 1997.

The international aid effort in Afghanistan is in large part “wasteful and ineffective”, with as much as 40 per cent of funds spent going back to donor countries in corporate profits and consultant salaries, Kabul-based charities will say on Tuesday.

At the same time, the administration of Hamid Karzai has failed to tackle high-level corruption in a government that relies on international handouts for 90 per cent of public spending, a report by the Agency Co-ordinating Body for Afghan Relief (Acbar) says.

As well as publishing the longest running journal focused on these areas, the Corporate Citizenship Briefingteam tracks thousands of printed and web-based news services to find what's relevant to you and your organisation. Primarily the service is geared towards the corporate citizenship, CSR, or community affairs manager. In addition, we can help you use the service to inform other key decision-makers across a range of functions about potential opportunities and risks. Email editor@corporate-citizenship.co.uk to find out more, or call 020 7940 5610 to talk to the marketing manager.

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DISCLAIMER: This newsletter is a summary of third-party news and is for information purposes only.Corporate Citizenship Briefing and its owner and publisher The Corporate Citizenship Company does not represent or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any advice, opinion, statement or other information in this newsletter. While every care is taken to provide accurate information, no liability for error or omission can be accepted by the publishers.

EVENTS

Further details of these events and others can be found at:
http://www.ethicalperformance.com/pages/eventsList.php?region=europe

05-07 May 2008, Athens Hilton, Greece
THE ATHENS SUMMIT 2008
This event brings together government officials, corporate leaders, academic and market analysts from the advocacy arena for dialogue on environmental and energy issues.

06 May 2008, London, UK
GOOD DEALS - THE FIRST NATIONAL SOCIAL INVESTMENT CONFERENCE
An opportunity for those looking to invest in ideas for creating social change. Sir Tom Hunter, billionaire venture capitalist and philanthropist, is among the speakers.

07-09 May 2008, Ashridge, UK
ASHRIDGE, INTEGRATING CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY
This programme helps professionals acquire the skills and knowledge to effectively integrate corporate responsibility in their company and examines the relationship with key business systems such as risk management and corporate governance.

07-09 May 2008, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
THE AMSTERDAM GLOBAL CONFERENCE ON SUSTAINABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY
This event announces the winners of the GRI Readers' Choice Awards; around 800 sustainability reports were entered. Research from the Readers' Choice Survey is also presented.

13-14 May 2008, London, UK
THE RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS SUMMIT
The programme for the summit will cover measuring CSR initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and how corporate responsibility can foster innovation. Featuring speakers from Starbucks, Microsoft, DuPont, Wilhemsen, Kraft, the Economist, and more.

22 May 2008, London UK
MAKING BUSINESS ETHICS WORK
This one-day course will provide an understanding of the business case for having a code of ethics, issues to cover, best practice, and how to go about producing, revising and implementing a code.

26-27 May 2008, Melbourne, Australia
3RD ANNUAL BEST PRACTICE SUSTAINABILITY REPORTING
This conference will help companies optimize sustainability strategies and increase the quality of their reporting. Leading industry players will present case studies demonstrating how long term development and financial gains can be realized.

05 June 2008, London, UK
LOW CARBON STRATEGIES
Innovative and business critical ways of bringing about deep and credible CO2 reductions. Speakers include UNEP, Unilever, Man Group, National Express, BP, HP, The Body Shop, The Guardian, Good Business, Carbon Sense and Forum for the Future.

12 June 2008, London, UK
GLOBALIZING YOUR ETHICS & COMPLIANCE PROGRAMME
Address the challenges of maintaining a global programme including preserving company standards, ensuring appropriate training and reporting channels, developing a code of conduct, and risk assessment.

23-24 June 2008, Brussels, Belgium
THE THIRD ANNUAL SUSTAINABLE FINANCE SUMMIT 2008
Designed to help participants recognize physical, financial and reputational risks and show how to take advantage of emerging opportunities in sustainable and ethical finance. With presentations and case studies from over 35 European speakers.