Actions to take 

Help make water sustainability a key issue for food and drinks companies

Water shortages resulting from rising demand, pollution and climate change are becoming a key environmental challenge. Water is a global justice issue and in some parts of the world a cause of conflict. The corporate sector has a major influence on society's water consumption. Water-thirsty industries such as food and drinks processing have a responsibility to manage their water use accountably and sustainably.

ECCR is encouraging investors and other stakeholders to urge food and drinks companies to use water more sustainably, in particular by:

• identifying water stress and local impacts of water use;
• taking more responsibility for water consumption in the supply chain;
• consulting with local communities;
• enhancing accountability through reporting and disclosure;
• making environmental performance a key factor in senior executive pay.

What you can do:

• Read the executive summary (pdf) of ECCR's May 2008 report, Water Sustainability: Meeting the Challenge - a comparative analysis of water consumption in the food processing and beverage industries.
• Request a PDF copy of the full report or order a printed copy.
• Use our action briefing notes (pdf) to guide you through the process of raising concerns with one or more food and drinks companies.
• Please send Suzanne Ismail a copy of your letters/emails and any replies you receive.
  

Write to BP and Shell about their highly damaging Alberta oil sands ventures

ECCR urges members, partners and friends to write to BP and Shell to express grave disquiet about their oil sands undertakings, which threaten an 'ecological holocaust' in western Canada and involve very high greenhouse gas emissions.

What you can do:

• Read James Leaton's March Bulletin article (pdf).
• Read more about the issue from KAIROS Canada (pdf).
• Read the investor statement (pdf) presented by ECCR at BP's April 2008 AGM.
  
• Adapt this model letter (pdf) and send it to BP and/or Shell.
• Please send Miles Litvinoff at ECCR a copy of your letters and any replies you receive.
  

Raise concerns about mining in the Philippines with mining companies and financial institutions

ECCR is encouraging church and other responsible investors, individual members and others to raise concerns about the destructive effects of large-scale mining in the Philippines with the mining companies and financial institutions currently or potentially involved.

What you can do:

• Read the report Mining in the Philippines -  Concerns and Conflicts in full or at least the executive summary (pp. iii-vii).
• Identify which of the companies and institutions currently or potentially involved in the Philippines mining sector (pdf) you wish to write to. These may companies you have shares in or whose services you use, or simply companies that you would like to inform of your concerns.
• Use the web to find the name and contact address of the chief executive of the company/ies or institution(s) you wish to write to. Adapt this model letter (pdf) for your communication.
• Read these recent briefings on issues relating to the interests of BHP Billiton (pdf) and Standard Chartered Bank (pdf) in the Philippines and raise your concerns with either or both companies.
  
• Please send Miles Litvinoff at ECCR a copy of your letters and any replies you receive.