Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Vsp Insurance Pittsburgh

Fair rating of small and medium-sized enterprises

Robert Rogner (Bad Blumau) talking / Organisation: Plenum www.plenum.at / Film

Monday, July 20, 2009

Lap-band Surgery Covered By Ohip

"Emerging Sustainability" - Summer Academy 2009 for Sustainable Business

The communique on ethical investments coincides with the core requirement of the Blumauer manifesto. It is important in financing to take general but especially in the recently given support by the state companies into an ethical obligation. The manifesto offers to a concrete solution.
communique platform "Ethical-ecological investment" Now is the time for a new start come on the financial market. It needs more transparency and risk control system and a change towards sustainability. We should seize this opportunity to shape the new financial market a viable financial market - in Austria, in Europe and worldwide. The platform "Ethical-ecological investment" of the Austrian Society for Environment and Technology (ÖGUT) consists of about 40 experts from academia and industry in Austria and is concerned for years with environmental and social aspects of the financial market. The members have drafted an action plan for the development of a sustainable financial market and invite discussion. The goal of this action plan will be to increase social welfare and environmental sustainability, and promote sustainable farming practices. This initiative is supported by the Corporate Responsibility Interface Center (CRIC) - Association for ethically oriented investors, the Catholic Social Academy of Austria (ksoe), the forum for sustainable investment (FNG / Austria) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). A sustainable financial market can be realized only through international cooperation and coordination. Seven specific points can be immediately implemented in Austria. 7 points for a viable financial market in Austria


• Federal loan climate change ("Energy 2020"): The deposited funds are earmarked for energy and environmental measures within the control of public use: Thermal rehabilitation of Federal buildings, including conversion to renewable energies, development of rail transport, etc. • Mandatory sustainability criteria in investment by government-related companies as well as cities and towns: This, for example, might of already received commitments of the Republic of Austria, such as Kyoto Protocol, human rights declaration based and so on. • Similarly, are government subsidies, grants and subsidies for investments, pension funds and corporate pension funds to meet pre-defined sustainability criteria detectable bind.
• manager salaries and bonuses at companies with government influence are to subject to the achievement of sustainability goals.
• Near State and publicly traded companies are required to provide on their contribution to sustainable development on a regular basis and in a uniform and verifiable standards to report to. • State Bank
packages must be compensated by the institutions so as to avoid any long term harm the taxpayers.
• Rapid implementation of the EU Savings Directive, to ensure the ability of the European Union action against tax havens.


The implementation of these seven points is important to be able to act with credibility at European and international level. Any further, more comprehensive Measures which also require European or international coordination regarding the reform of financial markets, sustainability incentives for financial market actors and the promotion of sustainable investment. For implementation is to make the Republic of Austria at international level advocacy.
reform of financial markets:

The main shortcomings of the financial markets are one part to a lack of transparency and risk control and the other is the lack of focus on sustainability criteria. Some important first steps here are:

- commitment of all financial market players (banks, pension funds, private equity firms etc.) to disclose all the risks.
- strengthening the domestic financial market supervision and establish an effective international financial market supervision and joint efforts to close tax havens and offshore financial centers ". This lure not only for tax evasion, but put other countries under pressure to lower their rates.
- introduction of a general financial transaction tax at EU level and worldwide, to counteract the destabilizing effect of short-term speculative financial transactions with questionable real economic impact. The tax revenues are used to finance sustainability measures. The Republic of Austria has already called for such a financial transaction tax and is designed to promote their implementation at European level.

sustainability incentives for financial market players:

bonus payments that are based on short-term profit improvements run counter to the achievement of sustainability goals. The absolute reduction in short-term profit generation for companies missed key social, environmental and ultimately economic objectives. Insofar as it requires a realignment of personal and corporate incentives. Some important first steps here are:
- for executive pay should be one of sustainability objectives oriented pay system be introduced. Bonus payments are then not only the direct business success but also to the realization of sustainability goals - made - such as the reduction of greenhouse gases.
- must also guide the generation of profits of companies with the goals of social and environmental sustainability. to press social standards and to avoid environmental regulations, may be profitable for corporations. Against this background, the framework for an eco-social market economy to improve. - The classification of the creditworthiness of companies is also to examine the basis of sustainability criteria.


promotion sustainable investments

Sustainable development is only possible if money for sustainable criteria (ethical and socially, ecologically) are used used to say, is created and invested. A positive response in the media and the financial market-oriented sustainable companies and countries are encouraged also.
are some important first steps:
- Enhance transparency and reporting: Listed and public companies should be regularly informed about their contribution to sustainable development in accordance with uniform reporting standards. - In particular, investments and retirement funds and pension funds in need as responsible and maintain sustainable forms of investment sustainability criteria. - State subsidies, grants and subsidies are in financial assets should be granted only if they are based on long-term goals that serve the society and the environment.


For questions and suggestions, the platform "Ethical-ecological investment" you may have. Send an email to: gruenesgeld@oegut.at

This communique carried by: •
ÖGUT platform "Ethical-ecological investments, contact: Katharina Sammer Dr.in
• Corporate Responsibility Interface Center (CRIC) - Association for ethically minded investors, contact: Dr. Klaus Gabriel • Sustainable Investment Forum (Austria), contact: Wolfgang Pinner • Catholic Social Academy of Austria (ksoe), contact: Dr. Mark Schluter
• World Wide Fund for Nature Austria (WWF), contact: Mag Armand Colard