Corporate Accountability >> Actors >> Research Institutes

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Founded in 1910, the Carnegie Endowment (IE) is a private nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing cooperation among nations and promoting active international engagement by the United States. Ies interests span geographic regions and the relations among governments, business, international organizations and civil society, focusing on the economic, political, and technological forces driving global change.

The lack of a consensus on trade and global economic integration reflects a variety of divergent interests and perceptions. However, three key issues form the core of the current turmoil:
Whether increased trade is necessarily harmful to the environment
Whether increased trade negatively impacts jobs and labor standards.
How the forces of trade and financial flows can be harnessed to achieve economic growth and poverty alleviation.
The Trade, Globalization, and Equity Project seeks to develop innovative, workable solutions to these questions.

The Public Role of the Private Sector Project explores the emerging relationship between business and government and new strategies for managing the public-private nexus, giving special attention to the role of business as an international policy actor.

Centre for Environmental Informatics (CEI)

The Centre for Environmental Informatics (CEI) in the School of Sciences at the University of Sunderland is a research team which conducts innovative applied research into private and public social, ethical and environmental accountability. The award winning website incorporates free on-line clearinghouses which focus on the disclosure of public and private sector environmental information.
Our website incorporates free on-line clearinghouses which focus on the disclosure of public and private sector environmental information in the fields of environmental reporting, sustainability reporting as well as ethical and social reporting

Centre for Innovation in Corporate Responsibility

The Centre for Innovation in Corporate Responsibility's mission is to lead and assist businesses in redefining and realizing responsible international business practice. It aims to work in partnership with businesses working in or with developing countries to enhance business performance through sound corporate citizenship and responsible international business practices focused on sustainable human development.

Center for International Environmental Law

The Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) is a public interest, not-for-profit environmental law firm founded in 1989 to strengthen international and comparative environmental law and policy around the world. CIEL provides a full range of environmental legal services in both international and comparative national law, including: policy research and publication, advice and advocacy, education and training, and institution building.

Global Union Research Network (GURN)

The Global Union Research Network (GURN) was established in January 2004 as a follow up to the millennium debate of the Global Unions Group. The aim of the research network is to give union organizations better access to research carried out within trade unions and allied institutions, while enabling them to exchange information on matters of joint concern and to develop the capacity to make analyses and take part in debates and policy formulation.

International Institute for Sustainable Development

The Business and Sustainable Development Global site explains the strategies and tools that companies can draw on to translate an aspiration of sustainability into practical, effective solutions. Case studies from around the world are provided as an example of each measure.
The site's sections cover:
Briefings on specific sustainable development topics from a business perspective.
Strategies and tools: how to incorporate the principle of sustainability into everyday business activities, illustrated by real-life examples.
Markets: business opportunities arising from sustainable development.
Banking and investment: spotlight on how sustainable development is being approached by the financial services industry.
Working with NGOs: how businesses are forging working partnerships with lobby groups.

International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS)

The International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS) was established by the International Labour Organization in 1960 as a centre for advanced studies in the social and labour field to further a better understanding of labour issues through education and research. It uses research networks, social policy forums, educational activities and publications to open up new perspectives for social policy; develop systematic exchanges between the ILO’s constituents and the external academic communities and practitioners; and familiarize future social policy-makers with the processes of tripartite consultations and policy formulation.

Institute for Policy Studies

The Institute for Policy Studies is the nation’s oldest multi-issue progressive think tank. Since 1963, the Institute has worked with social movements to forge viable and sustainable policies to promote democracy, justice, human rights, and diversity.
The Global Economy project offers broad analysis of free trade initiatives and their impacts, and serves as a watchdog on the world’s wealthiest corporations.

Leadership for Environment and Development (LEAD)

Leadership for Environment and Development International (LEAD) is a global network of individuals and non-governmental organizations, committed to sustainable development. LEAD is an independent, not-for-profit organization, established in 1991 by The Rockefeller Foundation.
LEAD’s mission is to create, strengthen and support networks of people and institutions promoting change towards sustainable development – development that is economically sound, environmentally responsible and socially equitable. LEAD carries out its mission through capacity development and issue-oriented action projects.

Rocky Mountain Institute

RMI is an entrepreneurial nonprofit organization that fosters the efficient and restorative use of natural, human and other capital to make the world more secure, just, prosperous, and life sustaining. We do this by inspiring business, civil society, and government to design integrative solutions that create true wealth.

Royal Institute of International Affairs

The Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA), also known as Chatham House, is one of the world's leading institutes for the analysis of international issues. It runs projects on sustainable development and corporate responsibility.

Sustainable Development Policy Institute

The Sustainable Development Policy Institute provides the global sustainable development community with representation from Pakistan as well as South Asia as a whole to catalyse the transition towards sustainable development, defined as the enhancement of peace, social justice and well-being, within and across generations.
At SDPI, specific research themes are linked to the implementation of the National Conservation Strategy, Pakistan's Agenda 21.

The International Research Network for Business, Development and Society

The International Research Network for Business, Development, and Society is driven by a concern for social and environmental justice. It engages in independent research that poses critical questions about the role of business in development. It aims to open spaces for dialogues, debates and action, that contribute to better policy making and practice, and that reflect diverse and under-represented voices.

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development

UNRISD is an autonomous UN agency engaging in multidisciplinary resarch on the social dimensions of contemorary problems affecting development.
Through its research, UNRISD stimulates dialogue and contributes to policy debates on key issues of social development within and outside the United Nations system.
The Business Responsibility for Sustainable Development project promotes research and policy dialogue on corporate social and environmental responsibility. It examines whether or not transnational corporations (TNCs) and other companies are taking meaningful steps to improve their social and environmental record, particularly in developing countries. Considerable attention is focused on the effectiveness of "voluntary initiatives" such as codes of conduct, social and environmental reporting, certification, labelling, corporate social investment and improvements in environmental management systems.

World Resources Institute

World Resources Institute is an environmental research and policy organization that creates solutions to protect the planet and improve people’s lives. WRI’s work is concentrated on achieving progress toward four key goals:
- Protect Earth’s living systems
- Increase access to environmental information
- Create sustainable enterprise and opportunity
- Reverse global warming.