Ethical Corporation's 10 Ethical Leaders of 2008

Ethical Corporation has published its list of the 10 Ethical Leaders of 2008 who have done the most to advance the cause of responsible business.

1. Barack Obama, US president-elect - For making the perfect start to addressing the world’s biggest challenges in 2009



2. Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and philanthropist - For outlining the opportunity side of responsible business with his vision for creative capitalism



3. Richard Lambert, director-general, Confederation of British Industry - For proactive business leadership in setting the UK climate change agenda



4. Donald MacDonald, chairman, UN Principles for Responsible Investment - For leading the UNPRI through the most significant year of its history



5. Jessica Sansom, sustainability manager, innocent drinks - For turning the innocent founders’ commitment to sustainability into tangible results in the supply chain



6. Howard Pearce, head of environmental finance and pension fund management, UK Environment Agency - For proving that asset owners can call their fund managers to account on ethics – provided they are committed enough



7. Chris Wille, chief of sustainable agriculture, Rainforest Alliance - For helping to take ethical food and drink into the mainstream market



8. Patrick Alley, director, Global Witness - For well-chosen campaigns on corporate complicity in human rights abuses in the Democratic Republic of Congo



9. John Ruggie, UN special representative for business and human rights - For getting the business and human rights agenda back on track



10. James Hansen, climatologist and head of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies - For outspoken and informed criticism of government and business inaction on climate change

Read the full article here.

Are Genetically Modified Foods Part of the Solution?

In a recent Ethical Corporation Editorial, it is suggested that we should reconsider "often vilified" genetically modified (GM) crops for the role they can play in addressing climate change-related food crises. They argue that climate change will cause a decrease in food production while the world's population will increase.

The Editorial states, "Biotechnology companies can help answer the climate-related food crisis in three ways: reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with farming; developing crops better able to withstand extreme weather brought about by global warming; and making biofuels production more efficient."

The article concludes, "GM alone cannot solve the world’s emerging food crisis. But there could be areas where GM crops can step in where conventional breeding techniques have so far failed....The potential benefits of GM in combating global warming, if verified, could mark the start of its rehabilitation in the eyes of the general public."

Read the full Editorial in Ethical Corporation magazine.