What is Corporate Social Responsibility, and what is not? Companies engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) when they confer benefits on the communities located in or near where they work which are neither required by law nor an integral part of their primary, profit-oriented operations. … [Read more...]
Which Passport Should I Take to the Olympic Games?
The 2012 London Olympic Games are going to see a whole new level of anti-doping activity. The centrepiece of this activity is what is known as the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). It has been in the works for some time and has already been used extensively in the sports of cycling and … [Read more...]
International Corporate Political Corruption: the Case of Niko Resources Ltd.
Founded in 1987 as a publicly-traded junior Canadian natural gas company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Niko Resources Ltd. (Niko) enjoyed a reputation as a gutsy natural gas explorer and producer by taking on projects in politically volatile and economically less-developed regions of the world. … [Read more...]
Vol 36-6 | Jul-Aug 2012
Table of Contents Feature: Corporate Social ResponsibilitySpecial Report: Testing the Limits of LawDepartmentsColumns Featured Articles: Corporate Social Responsibility Canadian businesses operating around the world are discovering that corporate social responsibility is not only the right thing … [Read more...]
Corruption and Scandals – A Modest Proposal for Electoral Reform
Anyone who follows politics or even just reads the news knows that great political questions and issues of public philosophy often get set aside from the political agenda because of the intervention of scandals involving a few individuals. The media, and therefore the public, are focused on whether … [Read more...]
Universities, the Charter and Freedom of Expression
The law has always been quite complex about whether (or when) the Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Charter) applies to universities. Recently, there have been several cases involving freedom of expression (Charter s. 2(b)) that have addressed this issue. Charter s. 32(1) says: 32. (1) This Charter … [Read more...]
What is Wrong with Corruption?
I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. … Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow . . .– Abraham Lincoln, quoted in Jack London’s The Iron Heel The first sign of … [Read more...]
Resolving Conflict: Six Simple Steps to Keeping the Peace
One of the most challenging roles of an effective manager is that of “peacekeeper”. Resolving conflicts in the workplace takes negotiation skills, patience, and a healthy dose of emotional intelligence. Recently, I interviewed Susan Steinbrecher, an author, executive coach and speaker who is CEO … [Read more...]
Chevron Corp. v. Naranjo: Goliath’s Global Anti-Enforcement Injunction against David
The clichéd David vs. Goliath depiction is one which is often used when describing legal cases. But Ecuador’s Lago Agrio community vs. the Chevron Corporation is one legal battle which aptly fits the analogy. The controversial case has a long history, involving alleged environmental violations in … [Read more...]
Lessons Learned from the British Petroleum Disaster
During the summer of 2010 the world was absorbed in live footage of the Macondo oil prospect bleeding 4.9 million barrels of oil into the surrounding ocean. Many months of helplessness followed the explosion of the Deepwater Horizon platform; an oil rig owned by Transocean but ultimately under the … [Read more...]
