Once again, I can't figure out how to download and upload Mp3's directly to the posts, so I'll have to link to this instead. There's a nice, from what I've listened to, conversation with Alice Tepper marlin on CSR over at CSRWire since we're sort of on that subject today. It's actually at Social Innovation Conversations, which is something I didn't know about before this morning, and looks to be a great resource of similar talks, presentations and interviews.

This from SIC:

Alice Tepper Marlin is the wise and passionate architect of some of the most innovative models for corporate social responsibility. Her energetic work over decades has helped provide concrete research and practical methods for bringing companies, investors, consumers, and workers together to address issues of environmental and economic justice worldwide. In this warm, personal reflection, Tepper Marlin traces her own history from her early days on Wall Street to her ongoing work in the not-for-profit sector, providing blueprints for social entrepreneurs.

Throughout her career, Tepper Marlin has combined a practical understanding of the business world with a deep belief in economic justice. As a young securities analyst, she had a key insight that ethical, socially motivated investors could influence corporate practices in positive ways. Founding the Council on Economic Priorities was a pivotal step in the birth of the socially responsible investment movement. Through the concept of a "peace portfolio", CEP developed tangible incentives for investors and analysts to hold companies accountable in the board room. Under Tepper Marlin's leadership, the organization grew into a highly respected provider of research for stock selection based on environmental and fair labor practices.

"Shopping for a Better World", CEP's internationally renowned consumers' guide to rewarding good corporate citizenship, highlighted the global nature of many of the most pressing issues. To address this expanding mission, Social Accountability International was established and Tepper Marlin led the challenge of drafting the SA 8000, a set of international standards for decent working conditions forged by the collaboration of business, trade unions, human rights organizations, development agencies, and child welfare organizations. In the face of economic disparity, Tepper Marlin's is a message of hope: we have the ability to fix our problems if we strive to ensure that the products we purchase in the global market come from places where people are treated fairly and with respect.

They also have a number of other podcasts of CSR material here.

In some other CSR news ...

*Doing good is good for you ... At Ethical Corporation, Fulvio Conti, Enel chief executive of Enel on how CSR is a way to attract investment.

*Chinese restaurant chain in the Philippines gets award for CSR.

*There is a call for papers on CSR and SMEs for Business Ethics: A European Review, due January 31, 2007.

*And via Humanitarian.info, news that Microsoft is going to open computer training centers for ex-combatants in the Columbia.