Panel discussion on corporate social responsibility.  Chaired by Diane Osgood, Business for Social Responsibility.  It inludes the following professionals:

• Wendy Lasarus, The Children’s Partnership
• Tom Adams, President, California League of Conservation Voters 
• Harvey Rosenthal, Founder, The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights
• William Sherwood-McGraw, Portfolio Manager, California Public Employees’ Retirement System

Why the California experience with its increasing public voice - is this new, and can we expect it to be duplicated in the USA?

Wendy: If you follow the Page tenet and manage for the future, you do need to watch California.  What’s undertaken here will spread to other parts of the nation.  We’re a state of innovators - and we have a large population (in the USA, 1 in 8 kids live in California).  CA remains on the forefront of public policy. 

Tom: California has always taken the lead on environmental issues.  Once we adopt standards other states follow.  First state to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from cars.  Given the stalemate in Washington, DC many other states implement standards from California.  The business community os getting more engaged - and those that deal with the envionment successfully will make money and be leaders.  Detroit is flatering and in CA Tessler is developing electric cars. ”GreenTech” investments are reaching $2 billion each year - investments to curb carbon is the wave of the future.  Some of the largest environmental programs are funded by venture capital funds.  GreenTech is the third wave - after HiTech and BioTech. 

William: CALPERs listens to a number of important causes, such as those represented in the room.   They invest in over 8,000 securities and we’re long-term holders.  But we’re on the phone every day with the companies we own.  CALERs believes strongly in transparency and disclosure.  We use dedicated forums for the 1.5 million members we represent.  One emphasis is CEO remuneration and we engage companies behind the scenes. 

Question: How advise companies on engaging NGOs on public policy alliances?