Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.

The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.

The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.

Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.

The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.

Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)

After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.

We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!

 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.

The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.

The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.

Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.

The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.

Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)

After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.

We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!

 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.

The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.

The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.

Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.

The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.

Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)

After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.

We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!

 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.

The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.

The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.

Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.

The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.

Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)

After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.

We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!

 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.

The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.

The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.

Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.

The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.

Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)

After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.

We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!

 

Over the past few weeks, we’ve been working hard with our friends at Microsoft to prepare for the launch of an exciting new program: Innovate4Good@Microsoft. TakingITGlobal is honoured to have been chosen as the online community partner, building an online community to engage young people around the world in programs and opportunities that support their natural passion for innovation, connecting them to opportunities to realize their potential. We’ll be working to build connections between the TIG and Innovate4Good online community – sharing relevant programs and opportunities in both directions.

The program is kicking off with a series of events Microsoft is holding across the globe, bringing together young people who have been touched by the many programs Microsoft has supported through its Corporate Citizenship focus on Opportunity for Youth. Just last week, Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation released a report framing the global opportunity gap - which provides insightful context on the urgency of the need to invest in youth.

The first event was in Seattle this past Saturday, and brought together nearly 100 young people from across the United States at Microsoft’s campus. Our team arrived last Friday to put the finishing touches on the Innovate4Good@Microsoft online community, and to prepare for Saturday’s event. On Friday night, there was a reception at the Microsoft Store, where the enthusiastic staff provided a comprehensive showcase of a variety of technology scenarios – from a Windows 8 and Microsoft Surface demo, to a look at several productivity products, like the Neatreceipts scanner and an amazing digital pen, which more than one attendee bought to take home with them.

Our team pulled up to the venue on Saturday just as one of Seattle’s most famous donut trucks was setting up – providing a real treat for attendees who would be arriving shortly. We setup a counter of PCs, where we helped each attendee register for the online community after their registration – and were relieved after our hard work on the site that everything ran smoothly. The attendees provided some great feedback and were quite excited to use the community to follow the activities of future events and stay connected to opportunities for engagement from Microsoft.

The event itself was masterfully facilitated by our friend Allan Gunn (aka “Gunner”) who we’ve had the pleasure of working with in the past at the World Summit on the Information Society. Any “ice” between participants was quickly broken with a fun activity, physically reflecting on perspectives on different issues – from juvenile detention to Internet as a human right.

Then the serious work began – brainstorming issues that participants wanted to solve, and clustering them together. Here are some highlights of the diverse challenges to be tackled:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before breaking into groups to expand on the ideas, a variety of Microsoft teams hosted a “speed geek” session, showcasing their products and programs: Imagine Cup, MS Research, Kinect for Windows, Windows Phone, Windows 8, Skype, and a new art software preview. Lots of fun! Windows 8 looks pretty cool – especially on some of the powerful new slates (tablets with laptop-like power)

After we all geeked out, a number of participants agreed to act as facilitators, and groups emerged to flesh out potential approaches to addressing the different problems. The day ended with an inspiring go-round of the groups, hearing the amazing ideas that had emerged in just over an hour of work together. Everyone headed down to the Microsoft visitor centre where Kinect Darts and Microsoft Surface Checkers were being enjoyed – with some great music from a local DJ to celebrate a packed day.

We’re excited about supporting the development of this program with Microsoft over the coming weeks, months, and years. Next weekend the event comes to Cairo, followed by other cities including Singapore, Brussels, Mexico City and Beijing. If you’re in Singapore and interested in attending, applications are open!

 

The most common feedback we received from youth during the 2010 program cycle was a request for opportunities to interact with and learn about other youth artists around the world. In an effort to begin to address this, we launched an exciting video exchange project involving youth artists in Argentina and Canada.

We asked each group to create a video as a group to showcase their respective cultures and communities. Once the videos were made, each group sent their finished project to the other group.

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of visiting Río Tercero, Argentina where our local partner Fundación Tierra Vida has been working to deliver the Adobe Youth Voices program. at Colegio Superior de Comercio, a public school in Río Tercero.

Alongside our educators, we facilitated a media workshop with a group of 60 young artists. To start the workshop we screened the video that Toronto-based Friends in Trouble created through the Adobe Youth Voices program. Their video shares their vision, goals, and love for Toronto, and it poses questions to the youth in Argentina about what they community is like.

It was amazing to see the kids reactions after watching the video, I could see how happy they were, they couldn't believe that youth artists from Canada wanted to know more about them and their country. 

As part of the planning for the workshop we had asked every participant to bring an object that represents their culture or something that is important to them. We wanted to generate ideas around the the elements that are unique about their community and what it means to be a youth living in Argentina.  Based on that framework we split the artist into small groups where they could talk about their object and make quick videos snippets, that later would be use to edit a video to send back to the youth artists in Canada.

Bellow you view the videos that we produced as well as some photos from the visit to Argentina.

Friends in Trouble, Toronto:

Friends in Trouble ~ Adobe, Project You(th) from Friends inTrouble on Vimeo.

Kids and teens at 'Friends in Trouble', learning how to use Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere to share their visions, goals and love for Toronto, Ontario. F.i.T. is a non-profit organization dedicated to support and empower youngsters living in the area of Jane & Finch. This clip was made to be shared with the Adobe Project youngsters in Argentina.

Fundacion TierraVida, Cordoba:

http://vimeo.com/32932235           

I really want to thank everyone that participated in the project, for all of us that were lucky enough to be a part of it this has been a really enriching experience and my hope is that in the future we will be able to to do more events that offer our program participants opportunities to learn, share and be part of our global network. 

Today we spent the afternoon at Colegio TIC TAC, where we took part in the screening of 3 of the videos that the youth have been working on for the past couple weeks. All the videos that were shown were great, you could tell that all the participants spent time planning them and they really understood what it means to create with purpose. Even though our portuguese is very limited, to say the least, it was easy to understand and relate to the issues that the videos were trying to address. 

There was one video in particular that I was really taken by,  and it was the video that Jaoni and Gustavo made. They told us that they created the video  so that they could tell the world how water pollution is a big problem here in Campo Grande, and how rivers are getting polluted more and more. It was great to see how they told their story in a video, because they introduced humour to the issue, which made their video incredibly funny and witty, so much so that  the entire room bursting in laughter a few times, even though it was very sad to see how much garbage they were able to find in river that they went to. 

I was really happy to see how youth are learning and sharing their experience with other people in their communities, and by far my favourite of the day was a moment where I could see how proud the Jaoni and Gustavo were to show their video with their peers and parents. 

 

Will post more updates soon!

We just landed in Campo Grande!  
We are meeting with our wonderful educators today so will keep you posted.

The photo bellow was taken as we were landing. Enjoy!

Today is our last day in Mexico but it  really feels like we only got here yesterday. 
Meeting our partners in Mexicali was a great experience and as Vivian mention before it really has been a very enriching experience for us. The work that we did last saturday during the workshop was really fun and i really enjoyed meeting and spending time all the kids that we part of the program. 

I have to run now, as we are boarding for our flights to Brazil soon, but I will keep everyone posted as we get there tomorrow morning.

 

Flying to Johannesburg the other day, I had my first aborted take-off ever – and it happened to be also the first time I was capturing the take-off on film (sorry, I ended up wiping the footage to capture more photos instead!)

It got me thinking, though, about my own experience with flying and my relatively newfound passion for the experience. I don't think I'd say I was ever terrified of flying, but I wouldn't hesitate to categorize myself as scared whenever some bumps would come about during my journey.

When we arrived back at a stand to have the engineers check out the indication warning (which had since cleared), the pilot popped down to introduce himself and have a chat about the problem (a sensor that detected that a access door to the belly of our 747 was open, even though it wasn’t). And in my mind, I found myself remembering the first moment when I was amazed by these machines, and it was in a company of a captain just like the one shaking my hand...

My dad, you see, was an avid collector of points during his own travels. My rabid fascination with loyalty programs today would make him proud, I'm sure, and the experiences I've been able to have thanks to the many points accumulated from my busy travel schedule are something I'm thankful for every day. He saved up points from dozens of business trips to Atlanta, where his company was headquartered, and conferences all over the continent that he visited in his marketing and sales position for NCR, a major retail technology company. Enough points that we were able to take a family vacation to Vancouver on a massive 747-400, in business class, and from my vague recollection, we were amongst the only guests seated in the upper deck that day. Once we were in flight, he arranged for us to visit the flight deck, where the captain enthusiastically gave us a tour of the cockpit and showed us all the levers and switches and dials that controlled the powerful machine. With me on his lap, came the moment I’ll never forget: He held my hand in his and reached for a dial that adjusted the level of the aircraft, and slowly turned it a few notches to the right – we immediately observed the plane gracefully veer right, ever so gently, and then we adjusted it back. Wow! I was entranced by this amazing machine, but it was time to go back to our seats and let the pilot and first officer get us to the west coast. Someday soon, I'll be ready to take a course and try my hand at flying for the fun of it - but until then, I'll trust the pilots to do that for me.

From 32,000 feet,

Mike

Corporate accountability on sustainable activities demonstrates a willingness to further dialogue with stakeholders (people, customers and society in general) and increase transparency. The most commonly used media for accountability are reports, corporate social responsibility reports, annual reports etc. Those can be found for example on the website of the Global Compact (http://unglobalcompact.org/COP/notable_cops.html), corporate website or the Global Reporting Initiative website (http://www.globalreporting.org/NR/rdonlyres/E033E311-68E7-41F9-A97F-9F3B94F3FE40/4042/GRIReports19992010_14Apr2.xls)

Accountability is an effort to disclose balanced, accurate, unbiased information to stakeholders. However, being fully accountable is difficult for businesses, who in theory are meant to only seek short term profit and financial outcomes. Business mindset can encourage companies to take benefit from a better image or fake accountability (ex Green-washing or Blue Washing - ex. using the UN Global Compact (UNGC) as a branding tool - the UNGC is only a platform for businesses where civil society has very little to say).

What is good information? Knowing the truth of a company's actions is very difficult. Some company have fair, somewhat honest disclosure. There is of course a lot of hypocrisy in the field of CSR too. Doubt is always necessary as well as critical mindset.

Every people interested in the field should spend time knowing about how companies disclose, what civil society organizations say in their report (http://www.business-humanrights.org/). Being critical is important but should start people are informed of issues and existing initiatives (ex. accountability initiative such as the Global Reporting Initiative, the Carbon Disclosure Project, and many many more).

For critical thinking:
http://globalcompactcritics.blogspot.com/
http://www.corpwatch.org/
http://www.publiceye.ch/en/

It goes without saying that Canada is a extremely rich country: 12th in the ranking of the World Economic Outlook Database-October 2009 from the International Monetary Fund.


According to the Government of Canada, "in 2008, over 75 percent of the world’s exploration and mining companies were headquartered in Canada. These 1293 companies had an interest in some 7809 properties in Canada and in over 100 countries around the world." (http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/ds/csr-strategy-rse-stategie.aspx)

However only 5 companies (0.0000000001% ......) in the mining are active participants of the Global Compact, the largest voluntary corporate social responsibility initiative, which includes more than 5000 companies worldwide. Of the 62 Canadian business participants from the United Nations Global Compact, 24 percent currently appear as delisted. Delisting is a sanction given by the Global Compact to companies that have failed to produce a Sustainability report for more than 2 years.

Canada also does not have a Global Compact Local Network, while most of the other OECD and BRIC countries have one. What is Canada doing?

In the mining sector, it is most expected companies are accountable of their human rights and environmental performance. The most material issues in the sector are community relations. human rights impact assessments, environmental management systems to name the big ones. Recently, Bill C-300, the Corporate Accountability of Mining, Oil and Gas Corporations in Developing Countries Act, proposed that Canadian extractive companies operating in developing countries adhere to environmental and human rights standards, like the Alien Tort Claim Act in the USA. Discussion are underway…. and big lobbies put such a pressure in a country where the mining sector is so important.

Now, the Social Responsible Investment perspective…. Most of those companies are publicly listed, which means that big pension funds invest in companies that often do not have their social license to operate! Also universities endowments invest in those companies, while some of their students study environmental issues, human rights law etc… Should all of them know and be enlightened citizen.

I hope Canadian companies are more accountable and this proposition becomes a law. That would make me prouder of Canada than I am now...

Further readings:
http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=15547
http://unglobalcompact.org/news/18-03-30-2010
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/article/782562--make-the-canadian-mining-industry-more-accountable
http://www.blackfireexploration.com/

Metallica Resources Inc. New Gold Inc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minera_San_Xavier

Gabriel Resources Ltd
(UN Global Compact participant)http://unglobalcompact.org/participant/4088-Gabriel-Resources-Ltd-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ro%C5%9Fia_Montan%C4%83

How do you use TakingITGlobal’s Multilingual platform? What could help us enhance our Multilingual Community? Fill out the survey today and let us know!

TIG is getting ready to launch 6 new language platforms by 2012. One of them, our 18th language, will be determined in collaboration with our very own members, so filling out the survey will be your chance to vote on what you think should be our 18th language platform.

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