13. December 2007 by admin.

The Ethical Sourcing Forum

New York, USA 13-14 March 2008

TAKE THE ETHICAL SOURCING FORUM (ESF) CHALLENGE

The premise behind the ESF challenge is to make you think and learn!
Develop knowledge and gather information through participation in the industry’s most unique form of learning and engagement…

Click on Ethical Sourcing Forum 2008 North America to download the latest conference brochure!

Secure your place today… and you will:

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Gather and exchange experiences on good implementation practices
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Build partnerships and engage with relevant stakeholders
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Increase your awareness and strengthen your ability to reach your goals
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Benchmark your current experience with other industry practitioners
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Strengthen your ability to impact key issues that are important to you
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If you don’t want to learn, look away now.
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…and many more

KEY TOPICS INCLUDE:

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“Green” is the New Black
Efficient ways to encourage the development of greener manufacturing methods across supply chain partners.
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The Contenders: CSR vs. Sourcing
Learn how to create operating system synergies between CSR and Sourcing organizations that contribute to sustainable outcomes.
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When to Say “I Do”:
Developing Sustainable Factory Remediation Plans
Listen as industry representatives share practical off the ground experience on engaging with suppliers to implement factory level improvement plans.
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Minimizing the Monitoring Industry Divide
Explore your opportunities for partnerships with traditional monitoring institutions which encourage important shifts in practice, minimize perceptions and strengthen industry confidence.
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Forward, Reverse or Turn at the Next Corner?
Is your current social and environmental supply chain approach driving sustainable impact or should you change lanes? Industry practioners share focused, practice oriented experience on the latest changes in company approaches to environmental and social supply chain issues.
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Guess Who´s Coming to Dinner?
How to bring Sourcing, Procurement and Buyers into the CSR conversation.
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Take Your Business Next Door
How to minimize resistance and achieve commitment within complex buyer – supplier business relationship environments.
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Surviving the Impact of Climate Change
This specialized Self Help workshop will provide delegates with practical industry tools and techniques on how to measure climate change effects across your supply chain.
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Purchasing Green?
How to Make Sustainable Procurement More than Just a Goal
Developing sustainable procurement strategies in today’s reality.
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Filling Green Shoes?
How to maintain your environmental commitment when 90% of your eco-footprint is from the supply chain.
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MEASURING IMPACT:
Grassroot Perspectives from Suppliers, Facilities and Workers
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COMMITMENT:
Using Measurements to Motivate Performance, Ownership and Impact
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…and many more.

To optimize interactivity and networking opportunities the places are limited to 200 participants. Register Now to avoid disappointment!

What is an ETHICAL SOURCING FORUM?

The Ethical Sourcing Forum (ESF) is an action oriented continuous learning industry initiative, open to those willing to play an active role in the development and successful implementation of sustainable social and environmental supply chain practices. The ESF platform gathers and compiles practical knowledge on new approaches which contribute to sustainable supply chain practices based on projects and initiatives undertaken by organizations engaged in off-the-ground supply chain activities.
The ESF indentifies industry training needs and collaborates across stakeholders to gather and transfer practical knowledge and good practice that improve the conditions of supply chains worldwide.

THE ESF BUSINESS CASE

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Mini training forums based on off-the ground case studies and activities undertaken by otherindustry members
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Opportunity to build bridges and partnerships with stakeholders
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Issue or industry specific facilitated sessions, addressing your individual learning needs
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Forum sessions aimed at developing or improving your sustainability implementation practices
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Modify or improve existing strategic plans during interactive action orientated training sessions
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Return home with recommendations to strengthen your current performance

For more information contact us directly on the details below:
E-mail: customerservices@intertek.com
Call Intertek on: +44(0)8.706.260.839

Places are limited! Register Now to avoid disappointment!

Due to limited seating availability, early registration will be open to corporations*, industry groups, and government.

* Non consulting

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25. September 2007 by admin.

Sustainability tops retail agenda - Talking Retail
Sustainability tops retail agenda

Green issues, “multi-channel” retailing and changing consumer demands will top the agenda at next year’s World Retail Congress in Barcelona.

The topics were decided upon after a meeting of the congress advisory board in Paris.

The board includes Greg Sage, international corporate affairs director for Tesco, David Shriver, strategic advisor at Carrefour, and B&Q chief executive Ian Cheshire.

During the meeting, much emphasis was placed on the importance of the sustainability debate, especially energy policies, ethical sourcing and sustainable materials.

This will now form a key theme of the congress.

The advisory board recommended that the congress seeks to identify a number of “sustainability pledges” during the debate, which would be endorsed by delegates and so form a set of global benchmarks for best practice.

Said Cheshire: “Sustainability has become a serious business issue for retailers because the consumer has come to place far greater value on it than ever before.”

Multi-channel retailing - selling through the web, catalogues, and call centres as well as stores - had also grown in importance over the last year, the advisory board decided.

Next year’s World Retail Congress takes place from 9-11 April 2008.

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3. July 2007 by admin.

Ethical Sourcing Forum Europe, Paris, 18th & 19th October

Mark your calendar.
This years Ethical Sourcing Forum Europe will be held at the Sofitel Hotel in Paris on 18th & 19th October.

No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking, a quote by the Parisian social reformer Voltaire is at the heart of the event. As well as appreciating “Paris in the Fall,” we plan a sustained attack.

The Forum will be opened by Kerstin Born, executive director of CSR Europe. The Ethical Sourcing Forum is a multi-stakeholder, accelerated learning and benchmarking platform, addressing the latest social and environmental challenges facing global supply chain professionals.

Confirmed speakers include The Walt Disney Company, GTZ, Microsoft, Maplecroft, Johnson & Johnson, International Labour Organization ILO, The Diamond Trading Company , LOreal, Marks & Spencer and Boots.

Topics include CSR and its future, compliance culture, business and academic partnerships, employee engagement, the challenges of communication, transparency, capacity building, collaboration and REACH.

As well as hearing about the latest developments, delegates can get involved. Collaborative communication is encouraged with sessions dedicated to speed networking, interactive business training and much more.

Early bird discounts saving €400 are available to those booking before 9th July online at www.intertek.com/esf/europe/register1

For the latest information on topics and speakers http://www.intertek.com/esf/events/europe/

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28. June 2007 by admin.

Supply Management.com - for purchasing and supply management professionals
Brown urged to reform ethical trade profile
By Paul Snell
Gordon Brown is being called on to improve the public sector’s record on ethical sourcing.
Charity Oxfam has produced a “manifesto” for Brown, who takes over as prime minister today, for him to carry out during his first 100 days in office. The proposals include starting a Treasury review of public procurement guidelines to “create a more enabling environment for ethical trading and fair trade”.

The manifesto also urges Brown to declare the UK’s intent not to impose higher export tariffs on goods from countries in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. The EU has already made a tentative offer to scrap tariffs and quotas on a number of goods, such as fruit and cereals, from these countries (News, 26 April).

The Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), an alliance of companies that includes Boots, Marks & Spencer and The Body Shop, supports the manifesto.

Dan Rees, ETI director, said: “The private sector is used to the government preaching to them about sustainability. It’s now time for the government to catch up with the private sector in ethical sourcing. Until the public sector starts practising what it preaches any progress we make will continue to be limited.”

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