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Each year we make commitments to help us drive progress and accountability. Below are the commitments we made in 2009. Click through to see the progress made in 2010 and our commitments for 2011.
Our People
Healthymagination: Provide an update on GE’s internal HealthAhead Work Site certification program:
- Report percentage certified as HealthAhead sites globally
- All GE sites with more than 100 employees to achieve HealthAhead certification by 2012
Healthymagination: Work toward goal of implementing tobacco-free campus standard globally by March 1, 2011.
Healthymagination: Drive better employee health globally through HealthAhead programs:
- Reduce U.S. health-related absences by 2%
- Limit to a 3% U.S. healthcare annual cost increase or less
- Increase in U.S. preventive screening rates
Update on new initiative, “Redefining Crotonville,” regarding GE’s global leadership development center.
GE will review potential metrics associated with global learning opportunities for an engagement with employees.
Add questions to the 2010 employee survey that provide employees the opportunity to share their perceptions regarding the extent to which they believe the survey is used to make positive change.
Compliance and Governance
Continue to strengthen our compliance processes and culture in remote sites.
Continue to drive regulatory excellence on government contracting processes.
Maintain our focus on reporting and resolution of concerns, and the ombudsperson process.
Public Policy
Support the adoption of public policies that strengthen the global economy and the global trading system.
Advocate for public policies that encourage technological innovation.
Seek to promote the rule of law, particularly in the developing world, where strong rule of law disciplines are critical to economic development.
Provide update on GE’s position as it relates to global healthcare reform.
Commit to publicizing renewable-related stimulus programs in which GE is active.
Continue to focus on regulatory change.
Provide update on GE’s position as it relates to climate-change legislation.
Environment, Health & Safety
Work with EPA to use Phase I experience to improve Phase II of the Hudson River dredging project.
25% reduction in environmental exceedances and spills.
Continue to enhance onboarding and professional development opportunities for EHS professionals globally.
Continue long-term GHG and energy use reduction trend and drive to the following goals:
- 50% improvement in energy intensity by 2015 (2004 baseline)
- 25% reduction in GHG emissions by 2015 (2004 baseline)
Continue long-term water use reduction trend and drive to the following goal: 25% reduction in freshwater use by 2015 (2006 baseline).
Zero work-related fatalities
15% reduction in recordable injuries and illnesses.
15% reduction in lost-time cases
Explore solutions to prevent high-severity infrequent events.
Add 20 new VPP/Global Star sites.
Zero fines
100% completion of required training.
Our Products & Services
Increase transparency of GE Capital financial reporting by establishing a regular rhythm of communication with external stakeholders.
Committing to ecomagination product revenues growth at twice the rate of GE’s overall revenue between now and 2015.
Starting in 2010, GE commits to doubling, to $10 billion, its research and development investment in ecomagination over the next five years versus the previous five years.
By 2015, GE will improve the energy intensity of its operations by 50%, and will reduce its absolute GHG emissions by 25% (both using the 2004 baseline).
Continue long-term water use reduction trend and drive to the following goal: 25% reduction in freshwater use by 2015 (2006 baseline).
Provide product example of “Reverse Innovation” global business strategy.
Healthymagination: Invest $3 billion in research and development to launch at least 100 innovations that lower cost, increase access and improve quality by 15%.
Human Rights
In connection with the duty to respect human rights, we will look to enhance due-diligence practices, including consideration of Human Rights Risk Assessments where appropriate.
Update on Compliance Review Board and Human Rights Implementation Procedures.
Advance information governance and privacy goals through enhanced employee awareness in 2010.
Provide more information on GE’s privacy policy as it relates to employee healthcare records and GEHC electronic medical records.
New 2011 Commitment
In connection with the duty to respect human rights, we work with our Global Business Initiative (GBI) partners to develop practices that respond to the final Business and Human Rights Guiding Principles issued by the UN Global Compact. Engage with other GBI members to develop normative due-diligence processes to be used in connection with minority joint ventures.
Our Communities
- Upgrade capacity at 25 more health centers and hospitals through Developing Health Globally™ (DHG)
- Evaluate maternal/infant care impact of DHG program
Continue commitment to the six districts and renew grants to Louisville, Kentucky, and Stamford, Connecticut. Explore opportunities to create business partnerships and expand the program to additional districts. Continue to convene education thought leaders, and work with education advocates to assist in helping all children achieve a good education.
Direct $25 million from GE Foundation over three years to expand access to quality healthcare in targeted underserved communities across the United States.
Continue to contribute 1 million hours of volunteer service, emphasizing activities in Education & Community Development, Environment and Health. Increase the number of GE Volunteers councils.
Our Suppliers
Improve the management scoring system and selection criteria to identify suppliers for which this is an effective approach.
Support suppliers with training and other outreach.
Continue capacity-building efforts such as the Guangdong EHS Academy and the Mexico Clean Industries program; look for other opportunities to improve supplier capacity.
Design a due-diligence process to reduce the risk of minerals from conflict mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and adjoining territories entering GE’s supply chain.
Our Customers
Healthymagination: Commit $6 billion to enable better health, focusing on cost, access and quality.
Train customers on how to mitigate healthcare privacy issues.
Keep the public and customers informed through the ecomagination report, ecomagination Web site and public engagements.
This interactive feature corresponds to pages 34-41 of the 2010 Citizenship report. View an excerpt of these report pages: GE 2010 Report Performance Against Commitments Excerpt (PDF)
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Our People
Progress
17% of all GE sites with more than 100 employees were HealthAhead-certified in 2010.
2011 Commitment
We expect over 90% of all GE sites with more than 100 employees to be HealthAhead-certified by the end of 2011.
Our People
Progress
More than 120 sites are currently tobacco-free campuses. As we have worked with sites around the world and understand how challenging this lifestyle change can be, we have made the decision to extend the goal to November 1, 2011. We have also made nicotine replacement therapy available globally at no (or substantially reduced) cost.
2011 Commitment
Work toward goal of implementing the tobacco-free campus standard globally by November 1, 2011.
Our People
Progress
- Reduced by 1%
- Double-digit cost reduction in 2010
- Increased breast cancer screenings by one point & maintained high utilization rate for other screenings (U.S. only)
2011 Commitment
- Continue efforts to decrease U.S. health-related absence
- Develop pilot programs to reduce health-related absence outside the U.S.
- Strive to limit the annual increase in U.S. healthcare cost
Our People
Progress
GE has launched new Growth Values that will help inform the curriculum for Reimagining Crotonville. The Reimagining Crotonville effort is in three main areas: Content, Experience and Environment (what is taught, how it is taught and where it is taught).
2011 Commitment
In 2011, we will embed the Growth Values in the Executive Curriculum. We will develop and execute plans for contemporizing the global Crotonville experience and environments where leadership is taught.
Our People
Progress
GE Global Learning has launched several new job aids and tools to help employees build skills when and where they are. We have expanded our library of offerings in both content and local languages.
2011 Commitment
GE will continue to explore metrics that help communicate this commitment to employee development.
Our People
Progress
Two questions were presented and answered by all survey respondents to evaluate the extent to which the survey is used to produce positive changes.
- I believe the results of this survey will be used to make positive changes in my team.
- I believe senior leaders in my business will take action based on the results of the survey.
2011 Commitment
Administer an employee opinion survey at the end of the third quarter to a representative sample of GE employees.
Compliance and Governance
Progress
To assist in these efforts, GE performs an annual risk assessment for approximately 1,500 sites based on common internal and external risk indicators. GE businesses and the Corporate Audit Staff partner to review these risk assessment results and develop site audit plans. Additionally, sites identified as having an elevated level of risk are required to complete a comprehensive compliance and financial controls self-assessment addressing controls in key areas. Self-assessment and audit results are monitored by business controllers and periodically summarized and reviewed with the GE Controller and Policy Compliance Review Board.
2011 Commitment
Continue to strengthen our compliance processes and culture in remote sites.
Compliance and Governance
Progress
- Completed a detailed Government Business Resources and Capabilities Assessment across all GE businesses doing business with U.S. federal, state or local government agencies, based on government and GE policies and the GE Government Business Process Standards
- Conducted a comprehensive CAS-led audit of all U.S. government Federal Supply Schedule contracts. These contracts serve all U.S. government agencies and represent a unique opportunity for GE products and services, but come with particularly complex compliance requirements
- Conducted a comprehensive training program touching more than 1,100 employees engaged in the management of these government contracts to ensure they are well-equipped to maintain knowledgeable and active oversight
- Provided additional training associated with the unique requirements of Recovery Act–funded business with federal, state or local governments, training more than 800 employees on key Recovery Act–related compliance requirements
- Reviewed stimulus fund contracting activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, as well as in key countries where stimulus funds represent potential opportunities for GE
Compliance and Governance
Progress
- Policy concerns up 4% year over year…we view an increase year over year as a positive indication of an open reporting environment
- Ombuds Team training and education + OmBits publication (up-to-date internal Web-based site for Ombuds team worldwide)
- Regional group meetings and open roundtable discussions with employees across all levels
- New videos featuring Ombuds and Deputy Ombuds; Business-led case study video(s) with a focus on “no retaliation”
2011 Commitment
- Realign and strengthen compliance and Ombuds teams to reflect global business restructuring
- Adapt processes and procedures to address Dodd-Frank whistleblower law
- Focus on monthly reviews of concerns raised and on lowering further the current average days to close of an investigation
Public Policy
Progress
On numerous occasions, GE senior officials spoke publicly in support of trade liberalization through bilateral, regional and multilateral fora, and against public policies that inhibit trade (including “forced localization” programs).
2011 Commitment
Support the adoption of public policies that strengthen the global economy and the global trading system.
Public Policy
Progress
Advocated directly and through industry consortia for (i) strong innovation-stimulating intellectual property rights protection in climate change talks and in trade liberalization agreements; and (ii) R&D and other public policies that support innovation.
2011 Commitment
Advocate for public policies that encourage technological innovation.
Public Policy
Progress
Promoted transparency and rule of law globally, including targeted programs in Vietnam, China and Argentina.
2011 Commitment
Seek to promote the rule of law, particularly in the developing world where strong rule of law disciplines are critical to economic development.
Public Policy
Progress
In consultation with GE Healthcare’s Global Government Relations team, no changes were deemed necessary to GE’s current viewpoint on healthcare reform, found at http://www.ge.com/news/our_viewpoints/healthcare_reform.html.
2011 Commitment
Provide update on GE’s position as it relates to global healthcare reform.
Public Policy
Progress
As standard practice, our press releases announcing new GE projects include information on how the GE product or service directly supports the customer’s clean-energy and water-related policy objectives. For additional information: http://www.gepower.com/about/press/en/index.htm.
2011 Commitment
Address the world’s energy and environmental challenges.
Public Policy
Progress
Engaged in public fora in the United States and abroad on regulatory changes, including in areas of financial services, healthcare, energy, environment, tax, trade and transportation.
2011 Commitment
Continue to focus on regulatory change.
Public Policy
Progress
GE supported Congressional climate and energy legislation in 2010, but that legislation was not enacted into law. GE supports a national energy policy that effectively promotes a shift of our nation’s energy mix toward cleaner energy options such as renewables and natural gas-fired power plants. In addition, the deployment of large numbers of electric vehicles holds the potential to dramatically reduce national dependence on imported oil.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
Worked with EPA to modify project standards and design to allow more efficient implementation of Phase 2 of the dredging project. As a result, GE agreed to implement the remainder of the Hudson River Dredging Project.
2011 Commitment
Perform the first year of Phase 2 of the Hudson River Dredging project.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
In 2010, wastewater exceedances increased over 2009 due to exceedances of sanitary wastewater and air emissions. Industrial wastewater exceedances comprised only half of the total wastewater exceedances recorded. Air exceedances also increased over 2009. Reportable spills and releases decreased by more than 50%.
2011 Commitment
GE continues work toward identifying the root cause of air and water exceedances and implementing robust corrective actions to prevent recurrence. In 2011, GE will reduce wastewater and air exceedances by implementing programs focused on reducing sanitary wastewater exceedances and enhancing environmental framework execution.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
During 2010, the EHS leaders within each of GE’s major growth regions developed approaches for professional development and onboarding. Leadership program participants were hired in Brazil and China, two of GE’s significant growth areas.
2011 Commitment
Continue to implement professional development programs in GE’s growth regions; China, Brazil, India and the Middle East. Support established programs in Mexico and host a cross-business professional development event in the United States.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
GE continued to make progress on these goals; GHGs were reduced by 24% and energy intensity improved by 33% from the 2004 baselines. During 2010, GE hosted its first-ever Forum on Industrial Energy Efficiency, and devised a strategy to drive GHG and energy use reduction in GE’s business units.
2011 Commitment
Engage business leaders in driving GHG and energy intensity use reductions. Implement an ecomagination scorecard for GE’s internal environmental footprint against which activities that drive the goals will be measured.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
GE continued to make progress on its water goal by reducing water use by 30%. During 2010, GE continued to drive its strategy by working with those sites that dominate GE’s water use footprint.
2011 Commitment
Implement water Kaizen Blitz events at GE’s top water-using locations. Drive the use of GE’s measurement and treatment technology in water-using operations.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
Three work-related fatalities
2011 Commitment
Zero work-related fatalities
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
3.5% reduction
2011 Commitment
15% reduction
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
10.9% reduction
2011 Commitment
15% reduction
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
Human and organizational performance concepts, which have been utilized for years in high-performance industries, hold promise for reducing high-severity and infrequent injuries, and are being piloted in various businesses.
2011 Commitment
Plans for 2011 include more extensive training and follow-up with the businesses that are piloting human and organizational performance techniques, as well as integrating these concepts into our existing management systems.
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
11 new VPP/Global Star facilities
2011 Commitment
20 new VPP/Global Star sites
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
Fines paid were $78,021.
2011 Commitment
Zero fines
Environment, Health & Safety
Progress
98% training completed
2011 Commitment
100% completion of regulatory required training.
Our Products & Services
Progress
- Enhanced transparency in 10K/10Q reporting by consolidating specific off-balance sheet assets in compliance with FAS 166/167, and by providing further credit quality disclosures reflecting the strength of the GE Capital portfolio
- Continued to provide quarterly supplemental data, including segment-level financials and asset-quality metrics, in addition to earnings reports
- Maintained a systemic operating rhythm with regulatory and rating agencies
2011 Commitment
Increase transparency of GE Capital financial reporting by continuing a regular rhythm of communication with external stakeholders.
Our Products & Services
Progress
While GE’s overall revenue was down 3% in 2010 vs. 2009, ecomagination products and services remained at $18 billion.
2011 Commitment
Committing to ecomagination product revenues growth at twice the rate of GE’s overall revenue between now and 2015.
Our Products & Services
Progress
GE continues its strong ecomagination R&D commitment by investing $1.8 billion in development of cleaner, more efficient technologies.
2011 Commitment
Starting in 2010, GE commits to doubling, to $10 billion, its research and development investment in ecomagination over the next five years versus the previous five years.
Our Products & Services
Progress
GE continued to make progress on these goals: GHGs were reduced by 24% and energy intensity improved by 33% from the 2004 baselines. Appliances & Lighting is transitioning all refrigeration to utilize cyclopentane over the next two years (completion 2012). The cyclopentane change in our factories will eliminate the number 1 and 3 of the top eight GHG emission sites for GE.
2011 Commitment
By 2015, GE will improve the energy intensity of its operations by 50%, and will reduce its absolute GHG emissions by 25% (both using the 2004 baseline).
Our Products & Services
Progress
GE continued to make progress on its water goal by reducing water use by 22% from its 2006 baseline. During 2010, GE continued to drive its strategy by working with those sites that dominate GE’s water use footprint.
2011 Commitment
Implement water Kaizen Blitz events at GE’s top water-using locations. Drive the use of GE’s measurement and treatment technology in water-using operations.
Our Products & Services
Progress
The Brivo MR355 1.5T magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system makes the diagnostic benefits of high-performance MR technology accessible to a wide range of customers globally. It combines simplification technology with low total cost of ownership and it can be sited in 20% smaller space compared to other full-body 1.5T MR systems. It has been validated by Oxford Analytica, an independent consultancy, to deliver 15% lower total cost of ownership than previous-generation MR systems. Brivo MR355 also can potentially reduce annual energy costs by up to 34% per year, saving up to 60,000 kWh per year compared to previous-generation systems.
Our Products & Services
Progress
Since our launch, we’ve made $1.3 billion in research and development investment progress against our original $3 billion commitment. Today healthymagination serves as a rallying cry for meaningful innovation to address the world’s biggest health issues. It is a call for better products at more price points in more regions; for sustainable delivery models; for cutting-edge technologies.
2011 Commitment
Healthymagination: Invest $3 billion in research and development to launch at least 100 innovations that lower cost, increase access and improve quality by 15%.
Human Rights
Progress
Working through the Company’s Human Rights Champions in place within each business, we encouraged due-diligence processes through checklists and other instruments and have issued guidance on Human Rights Risk Assessment processes. The nature of the GE businesses’ initiatives in 2010 did not lead to a full-blown Human Rights Risk Assessment.
2011 Commitment
Look for appropriate opportunities to engage in Human Rights Risk Assessment efforts in 2011.
Human Rights
Progress
The general counsels of each of the major businesses have identified Human Rights Champions to be responsible for undertaking this due-diligence effort and report any risks and abatement plans to their business’ Compliance Review Board (Session D). The rhythm of these efforts varies by business, as do the human rights issues of concern. We convened quarterly telephone calls to share concerns and best practices.
Human Rights
Progress
In 2010, GE and its Information Governance and Privacy practices continued to expand on their commitment to information governance and privacy as a core value for employees, partners and customers, taking responsibility as a thought leader on these topics both within GE and externally.
2011 Commitment
GE will focus on refreshing standards and implementing guidelines that support its updated Spirit & Letter policy, Privacy and the Protection of GE Information. GE will also continue to take an active role in public discourse on privacy policy and issues of importance in a world of evolving technology.
Human Rights
Progress
In the area of product use and design, in 2010 GE Healthcare pursued and received certification as a Certified EHR Technology under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) for its Centricity Advance, Centricity Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Centricity Practice Solution products. This certification required GE Healthcare’s EMR products to demonstrate capabilities to satisfy each privacy and security criterion where technically feasible.
The GE Employment Data Protection Committee worked in 2010 to help facilitate the compliant implementation of EHR systems in certain GE employee medical clinics; this work will continue into 2011 as the Company seeks to provide a meaningful combination of provider and employee utility, and employee privacy in these systems.
2011 Commitment
In 2011, GE Healthcare will continue its dedicated efforts to anticipate customer data protection needs and expectations in product and services development.
Human Rights
This is a new commitment for 2011. Our progress towards this commitment will be included in the 2011 Citizenship report.
Our Communities
Progress
- 53 sites upgraded/completed, mostly in Rwanda, Cambodia, Nigeria and Mali
- Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC)—partnership with Millennium Villages Project (MVP)—early evidence suggests institutional delivery has increased from 33% to 47% across the first five sites in Uganda, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Malawi. At Ruhiira in Uganda, number of births delivered by skilled health personnel went from 9% to 42%; in Bonsaaso, Ghana, it went from 30% to 61% [MDG metric]. Before the kits were distributed, hospitals lacked basic equipment to treat patients. Doctors and nurses were ready to serve, but lacked the necessary supplies to help those in need. In Sauri, located in western Kenya, a small facility that was once better equipped with EmOC donations was able to serve 200 patients a day—more than a nearby large district hospital
- Honduras—39% reduction of infant mortality in the national neonatal intensive care unit at Escuela Hospital. In 2010, infant mortality reduced by 55% at Olanchito and number of assisted births increased by 12%
2011 Commitment
- Build capacity through upgrading facilities, clinical skill-building and process improvement
- Build Ministry of Health (MOH) and hospital biomedical engineering capacity for long-term sustainability
- Evaluate maternal/infant care impact of DHG program and effectiveness of DHG models
Our Communities
Progress
- Continued working with six districts, including renewed grants to Louisville, Kentucky, and Stamford, Connecticut
- Board awarded $20.4 million grant to Milwaukee, Wisconsin as the seventh Developing Futures™ in Education (DF) site
- Convene and meet with education thought leaders such as Arne Duncan, Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and Assessment writers in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin
2011 Commitment
- Begin and provide interim report on initial findings of the effects of DF work in all sites
- Complete audit reports from six districts and “deep dive” into Milwaukee
- Convene at least 30 national/site local businesses in Washington, DC, and at DF 2011 annual conference in Orlando, Florida, to develop partnerships
- Publish a document on “The Heart of Reform” that narrates the work of DF
- Monitor and assess national public opinion on student and parent involvement in student education
- Refine and implement strategic community engagement in each of the seven sites
- Refine existing audit and implement
- Establish GE Foundation as a leader in supporting CCSS
Our Communities
Progress
The program awarded $11.15 million grants in total to 45 health centers in 10 cities. An underserved population of more than 500,000 was impacted. More than 200 events and 5,000 hours have been devoted in terms of pro bono engagement.
2011 Commitment
Expand to another 32 health centers in 14 cities with a total of $9.75 million grants. An underserved population of approximately 300,000 is expected to be impacted. More than 200 events and 5,000 hours will be devoted to pro bono engagement.
Our Communities
Progress
- Increased volunteer hours by 10% to 1.1 million.
2011 Commitment
- Maintain volunteer level at more than 1 million hours with divestiture of NBCU.
Our Customers
Progress
Grounded in GE Healthcare, GE Water, GE Global Research and GE Capital, we’ve made progress in achieving our healthymagination vision over the past few years. Since our launch, we have validated 43 healthymagination products, made $2.2 billion in investment progress against our original $6 billion commitment and touched more than 234 million lives.
2011 Commitment
Healthymagination: Commit $6 billion to enable better health, focusing on cost, access and quality.
Our Customers
Progress
GE Healthcare has developed guidance documents for customers that address healthcare industry data protection/privacy issues and are provided to customers upon request.
Our Customers
Progress
Ecomagination celebrated its five-year anniversary with a public event on July 13, 2010, announcing new goals making ecomagination a bigger part of GE. Ecomagination.com and the ecomagination annual report continue as our primary communication vehicle.
2011 Commitment
Keep the public and customers informed through the ecomagination report, ecomagination Web site and public engagements.
Our Suppliers
Progress
Since 2009, GE has posed management-systems questions to suppliers during on-site assessments. Many small and medium companies had a difficult time implementing the management-systems requirements. We also found that the presence of a management system on paper does not guarantee compliance with environmental health and safety regulations.
2011 Commitment
In response to these challenges, we are developing a new management-systems approach focused on select suppliers to encourage improvements in their programs over time. This will be piloted in 2011 – 2012.
Our Suppliers
Progress
In addition to the training GE provides annually, in November 2010, GE partnered with the Institute for Sustainable Communities (ISC), The Guangdong EHS Academy and the WBCSD to train about 100 Chinese suppliers on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions reductions. For more information, see Greenhouse Gases and GE’s Supply Chain.
2011 Commitment
Launch Supplier Partnership Program to engage with specific suppliers on targeted capacity-building efforts.
Our Suppliers
Progress
Continued existing efforts. Included ISC and the Guangdong EHS Academy in GE’s Supplier Summit. For more information, see A Supplier Summit in Shanghai.
2011 Commitment
Continue capacity-building efforts and look for additional opportunities to partner locally to improve supplier capacity.
Our Suppliers
Progress
The GE Foundation funded a multi-industry, multistakeholder, multistrategy forum (“M3 Forum”) to pull together the work that all various parties are doing to address the ongoing violence in the DRC and its link to mining. GE has worked with organizations such as the Electronic Industries Citizenship Coalition to institute a program to ensure that smelters eliminate demand for ores from conflict mines, and is designing an internal program to eliminate minerals from conflict mines from our supply chain and ensure that we will be prepared to report to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the conflict minerals provision of Dodd-Frank.
2011 Commitment
Complete and implement internal program to:
- Mitigate the risk that minerals from conflict mines enter the supply chain; and
- Gather information needed to report to the SEC under the Dodd-Frank Act. Continue to work with industry groups to implement Smelter Verification Program to trace minerals from mines of origin to smelters.
For more information, see Conflict Minerals and the Democratic Republic of Congo: Expanding Supply Chain Efforts.
Comments
Discussion Wall:
Cathie Guthrie said:
July 19, 2011
It is important to know annual achievements, but visitors to the site would derive even more value from knowing how 2010 achievements compare with 2011 targets. By not addressing the issue of comparisons one wonders why the information is not disclosed and can arouse suspicion, influencing how other data is interpreted. If performance is at variance with targets, then a reason for the variance should be provided as well as a description of the corrective measures intended to ensure targets are met. By responding differently, I would have felt a stronger connection with GE as a true stakeholder resulting in more confidence in what I am reading. By providing a more inclusive response, I would have felt more fully engaged, and any questions whether they be direct or indirect would have been minimized. I think greater risk is introduced into a relationship with stakeholders when an issue is addressed partially, not completely.
GE Citizenship said:
July 26, 2011
Thanks Catherine for your comment. Each year we make commitments to help us drive progress and accountability. In this year’s report, we report our progress achieved in 2010 against the commitments we made, and set the new commitments for 2011. You can view our commitments over time in our archive of sustainability reports at http://www.gecitizenship.com/reporting/past-reports/.
Cathie Guthrie said:
July 19, 2011
With respect to the human rights risk assessment protocol, it would be helpful to learn about the training made available to the GE Champions that has enabled them to perform their mandate. I would suggest GE reach beyond a check-list approach of human rights and children’s rights to reflect a holistic perspective of the interrelatedness of ‘rights’ and to take advantage of this knowledge to build policies and to frame business activities.
GE Citizenship said:
July 25, 2011
Catherine, thanks for your comment. You are right that human rights can not simply be addressed through a check-list approach. More practical guidance is needed on how to address difficult dilemmas.
One key step forward in this area has been the new UN Human Rights Framework for Business, which provides guidance on the inter-related roles of businesses and states in protecting, respecting and remedying human rights. This framework provides critical guidance, but it also needs to be back up with real-world learning and sharing of experience. To help to accelerate practical learning on business and human rights, the GE Foundation has supported the development of the Human Rights and Business Dilemmas Forum, and GE itself has contributed case studies such as on misuse of products. This provides in-depth analysis on dilemmas and approaches taken by a wide range of companies and offers an interactive forum to discuss these experiences.
danya said:
July 20, 2011
very interesting.