Blog

Whether it’s a pandemic or climate-related impact, those with the least, and those faced with the most extreme socioeconomic barriers, will suffer the most. The impacts that these populations face have the potential to disrupt business, from operations and supply chains down to the vital communities on which business depends.

BSR has observed several trends emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic and compared them with best practices on reporting. We are sharing these insights here to assist company sustainability teams as they strive to keep stakeholders informed—despite, in many cases, the reality of limited time and diminished resources.

The global coronavirus pandemic is bringing the connection between climate and public health into focus. In recognition of Earth Day, Levi Strauss & Co. interviewed experts at the nexus of climate and public health to better understand the links and what needs to be done.

One of the most important topics in corporate sustainability is the dramatic increase in attention by investors on the integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations. How will the rise of COVID-19 affect ESG investing strategies both in the short term and the long term, and what does it mean for companies?

The COVID-19 pandemic has quickly transformed from a global health crisis into a financial crisis, particularly for low-income female workers in global supply chains. However, companies can effectively deploy preventative measures to support workers and workplaces to protect their health and strengthen their financial resilience.

As we move through and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, Merck's Cathryn Gunther offers her thoughts on consequential gifts that might materialize from the crisis, and the role companies can play in making them a reality.

BSR and Polecat analyze the top ESG issues and sectors arising in global discourse about COVID-19 over the last fortnight.

COVID-19 will take an increased toll on those groups who were marginalized, vulnerable, and excluded before the pandemic hit, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ+) people. For LGBTIQ+ people who have experienced a lifetime of discrimination, especially in places with deep poverty, tenuous healthcare delivery systems, and fragile government infrastructure, the sober truth is that this global emergency presents immediate unimaginable challenges.

In the wake of COVID-19, we are calling for business to “meet the moment and build the future.” In doing so, resilient business strategies will be fundamentally important to business success as well as economic and social recovery.

It’s still too early to know the full human and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. But eventually, we will need to begin to ponder the question: how will we rebuild once the crisis has passed? What can sustainability teams in companies expect?

Last year, BSR launched an effort calling for a modernized social contract for the 21st century. We’re now inviting all our member companies and partners interested in seizing this moment to modernize the social contract to get in touch and co-create a plan of action.

As the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic continue to spread, we at BSR are working hard to continue supporting our member companies around the world. Our approach at BSR can be summed up in six words: Meet the Moment. Build the Future.

The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic has reached such a level of imminent threat to public health that restrictions on certain human rights, such as limiting freedom of movement, appear to be justified. But this begs a critically important question: what are the key human rights principles for companies to uphold during this public emergency?

As the exodus of manufacturing in China continued and accelerated, both manufacturing groups and global buyers sought opportunities to re-globalize their value chains. Here are six sustainability considerations to help your company create Globalization 2.0 plans which can help achieve long-term success.

Our movement for resilient, sustainable business has never been more relevant, or important. BSR President and CEO Aron Cramer addresses the COVID-19 coronavirus.