Conservancy Spotlight - Brooklyn Bridge Transformation

Visitors’ and jaded Manhattan residents are flocking to Brooklyn, drawn by the variety of neighborhoods, up-market stores, utilitarian streetscapes, renovated factories and buildings. Often considered the step child to Manhattan, Brooklyn is one of New York’s newer destination spots.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park area is about to undergo one of the most significant developments since Prospect Park was built 135 years ago, due to the Empire State Development Corporation's unanimous approval of the Park's General Project Plan and Environmental Impact Statement, paving the way for construction this year.

The 85-acre park, stretching 1.3 miles along the East River from north of the Manhattan Bridge to Atlantic Avenue, will be transformed into a public space including lawns, recreation, beaches, coves, restored habitats, playgrounds and landscaped areas.

The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy annual benefit is on Thursday, June 7 - Sunset Splash. Information and tickets - http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/.

UN Permanent Forum - Indigenous Entrepreneurship

Aveda and its Partners Discuss the Opportunities and Challenges - A DIALOGUE FOR THE FUTURE

The open forum held at the United Nations Headquarters, on May 23, spotlights the development of five indigenous business projects, focusing on land rights and natural resources in partnership with international businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGO’s). Speakers will present challenges and opportunities in these partnerships, and explore new paths to sustainable development that respect land rights and natural resources as the key to the survival of indigenous peoples. Panelists include: Dominique Conseil, president of Aveda, Veneranda Xochitl Juarez-Varela from Café La Selva, Mexico, Manuel Quezada IX from Community Tours Sian Ka’an, Mexico, Ole Petenya Y. Shani from the Shompole Community Trust in Kenya, Dr. Richard Walley of the Nyoongar people in Australia and Tashka Yawanawá, Chief of the Yawanawa tribe in Brazil. This event is an opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of three communities recognized by the Equator Prize: Café La Selva, Community Tours Sian Ka'an from Mexico, and the Shompole Community Trust from Kenya.
Info - http://www.csrwire.com/News/8615.html.

Reputation Dynamics will report back on this event and learning's about sustainable development.

Board's Eye View of CSR

Practitioners, thought leaders, and companies from CRO magazine's '100 Best Corporate Citizens' will be convening at the Marriott Financial Center in New York on May 10 for CRO's Spring Conference. The focus will be on successful corporate social responsibility strategies for protecting and growing companies.

Keynote speakers include Tim Solso, CEO and Chairman of Cummins and Douglas Baker, Jr., CEO and Chairman of Ecolab.

Research conducted by the Social Investment Research Analyst Network (SIRAN) and KLD Research & Analytics, Inc. (KLD) on environmental and social performance reporting of US companies, recently reported that nearly half (49) of US companies in the Standard & Poors (S&P) are now disclosing information about their environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. That is a 14% increase of S&P 100 companies issuing reports over the previous year's study.

Another milestone reached in the evolution of this new management paradigm as companies respond to the widespread demand for greater transparency.

Myself and fellow trustmeister Jarvis Cromwell will be attending and report back on developments, case studies and trends. So, stay tuned for a candid take....

For more information on the conference agenda -- www.thecro.com/conferences.