During the 2009 Ethos International Conference held in June, the Earth Charter featured in the opening plenary session and in the meeting of the institute’s network of entrepreneurs, media professionals and academics.
The conference aimed to integrate the institute’s networks, offer basic conceptual thinking and resources for the further development of the work of the networks and sensitize groups and individuals to the importance of developing actions guided by the Earth Charter. In the Institute’s annual meeting held in December 2008, where activities of the past 10 years were evaluated and future direction was set, it was decided that the new central task of the Institute will be to work on the development of a new socially responsible market. According to the Institute leadership, “if in the last 10 years our focus has been on the private enterprises, the next 10 years it will be focused on the relationship between the enterprise and the market.” Along these lines, they decided that the Earth Charter will be used as a general guide for their new work: “this document offers guidance to human activities and it is important that the economic activity be oriented on the same premises than other activities.” The central objective of the Ethos Institute for the next ten years is to promote in Brazil and in partnerships with enterprises and other social actors, an inclusive and responsible green economy that has the principles of the Earth Charter as a general guide. According to the Institute, “by taking the Earth Charter principles as a reference the necessary synergies between economic activities and other human activities are created in a spirit of respect and harmony with the planet and with the whole community of life.”
Created in 1998 by a group of entrepreneurs and executives from the private sector, the Ethos Institute of Enterprises and Social Responsibilities is a civil society nonprofit organization of public interest with a mission to mobilize, encourage and help companies manage their business in a socially responsible way, making them partners in building a sustainable and fair society. The institute is widely recognized as a hub for the exchange of knowledge and experience in the field of corporate social responsibility and on the development of new tools to help the private sector analyze its practices and management. It has the aim of deepening its commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development. It is also an international reference in these themes, developing projects in partnerships with various entities worldwide. The institute’s membership includes over 1,000 companies and business organizations.
For more information see: www.ethos.org.br