Emma Sjöström

Translating ideologically based concerns: how civil society organisations use the financial market to protect human rights

Civil society organisations are increasingly using the financial market to put pressure on corporations regarding issues such as environmental protection, occupational health and safety and respect for human rights. The purpose of this paper is to explore and explain how this is done and how agreement can be reached despite the often-times differing world-views, ideologies and agendas between civil society organisations on the one hand and financial actors and corporations on the other. One of the main conclusions from this paper is that less powerful actors can achieve a sought-after change by translating the problem so that it fits the ideology of actors who do have power to resolve it.

The Performance of Socially Responsible Investment - A Review of Scholarly Studies Published 2008-2010

This report explores whether socially responsible investment (SRI) generates higher, lower or similar risk adjusted financial return compared with conventional investment. 21 academic studies are reviewed. Seven studies conclude that SRI have similar performance relative to their conventional peers. Five studies report that SRI outperforms conventional investment. Three studies find that SRI generates inferior performance relative to its conventional peers. Finally, six studies report mixed results. We can conclude that results point in all different directions, and that there is no clear link between SRI and financial performance. Our results implicates that it would be unwise to make general statements about the performance of SRI based on only one or a few studies.

The development of SRI in China

Abstract Purpose – To discover how SRI develops in the Asian context. Methodology/approach – Extended search of SRI initiatives analyzed with Scandinavian neo-institutional approach on how ideas travel and Buddhist Economy. Findings – Chinese SRI-initiatives imitate western peers, but the imitation results in partial isomorphism that will probably have a weak influence on Chinese companies in ESG. Research limitations/implications – A limitation of the study is a lack of information and transparency on Chinese homepages. Practical implications – Chinese SRI is in an early state, and will need back-up and push to become active if it will be able to influence Chinese companies. Social implications – It is important to have a critical stance, and not trusting optimistic statements about SRI in China as a mean to integrate ESG activities in Chinese companies. Originality/value of chapter – One of the first overviews and critical analysis of SRI in China.