Corporate Strategy

Analysing the link between women directors and corporate returns

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 12 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
A recent report noted that ASX500 companies with women directors had a higher average return on equity over the past three and five year time horizons, but there is no clear answer as to why this incidence seems to exist.

ASX500 companies increase number of women on boards

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 7 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
An analysis of ASX500 companies shows that there are 235 women holding 307 directorship positions, and 233 companies have at least one woman on board. The research note authored by the Reibey Institute noted that women hold 9.5% of ASX500 board positions ...

Copper producer joins International Council on Mining and Metals

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 7 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
The International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has welcomed copper producer Codelco as a member company. Meanwhile, BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers has taken over as chair of the ICMM.

Miners, stakeholders agree to actions in Upper Hunter Valley

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 5 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
Miners and community stakeholders in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales have agreed to a list of actions to address the impacts of coal mining on a range of issues from mine rehabilitation to water assessments, long term health impacts to local ...

GRI releases guidance for reporting on ecosystem services

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 5 OCT 2011  |  NEWS
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) has issued a new set of guidances to assist companies to monitor and report their impacts and dependences ecosystem factors including on freshwater, climate regulation and pollination.

Systemic fault jeopardises proxy vote integrity

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
A systemic fault in proxy vote registrations means that investors have no way of confirming that their votes have been received properly and accurately counted. The final step of the proxy voting process is completed manually by registrars and there ...

Consumers doubt energy retailers' "green" credentials

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
A bigger problem for retailers, though, is the fact that only 13.2% of respondents believe the sustainability and socially responsible messages that electricity providers portray on their website and marketing. Nearly half - 47.8% - reported a neutral ...

Nearly half of ASX100 companies exposed to human rights risks

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  FRIDAY, 30 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Nearly half of ASX100 companies are exposed to human rights risks in their overseas operations, and almost all of those companies have inadequate management systems in place to mitigate those exposures, a study by Net Balance has found.

DEXUS profits up, water, energy and GHG intensity down

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 28 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
DEXUS Property Group reported a net profit for the 2011 financial year of AU$553m, an increase of AU$521.6m over last year, while decreasing energy, greenhouse gas and water intensity across its entire portfolio.

Regulatory barriers slowing cogeneration technology usage

RACHEL ALEMBAKIS  |  WEDNESDAY, 28 SEP 2011  |  NEWS
Cogeneration - combined heat and power - and trigeneration - combined cooling, heat and power - offer "significant" environmental and economic benefits to the Australian building industry. But "a complex and burdensome connection process and regulatory ...