The recent and well debated topic of sustainable investments together with the contradiction of the typical sustainable individual and the typical investor constitutes the purpose for the empirical research. Secondary shareholder data obtained from the Central Securities Depositary, Euroclear Sweden, together with corporate sustainable ratings from Thomson Reuters contributes to portraying the typical Swedish sustainable investor. Together with previous research we find that women tend to invest more in sustainable companies than men and that a lower income is related to a higher degree of sustainable investments. In conflict with presented theories we state that, based on our sample, investors over age 65 hold more sustainable companies than their younger counterpart. Regarding gender the results show that women invest more in sustainable companies than men. / Hållbara investeringar är ett ämne som fått ett allt större fokus vid investeringsbeslut och påverkan på miljö och social rättvisa är högaktuellt i den vardagliga debatten. Den grupp individer som beskrivs vara intresserade av hållbarhetsfrågor i allmänhet är unga kvinnor. Samtidigt visar tidigare undersökningar att i sammanhanget investerare är den typiske investeraren en man över 50 år. Uppsatsens problemformulering utgår från denna skillnad mellan den hållbara individen och den typiske investeraren för att undersöka vilka investerare som står för investeringar i hållbara företag. De demografiska faktorerna kön, ålder, årsinkomst, portföljvärde och bostadsort används i uppsatsen för att identifiera skillnader mellan hållbara och icke-hållbara investerare. Samt ifall demografiska faktorer har något samband med en investerares grad av hållbarhet. Ägardata för de demografiska faktorerna har baserats på Euroclear Swedens värdepapperscentral. Företagen i urvalet har hållbarhetsklassificerats utifrån Thomson Reuters ESG-score, en betygsättning av företag med hänsyn till deras arbete kring miljö, social och bolagsstyrningspåverkan.  Tidigare forskning presenterar demografisk utformning för investerare som tar hänsyn till hur deras placeringar påverkar omvärlden. Enhälligt för tidigare forskning är att det är kvinnor som bryr sig om hållbarhet och investerar socialt ansvarsfullt, samt att unga investerare väljer i större utsträckning hållbarhet jämfört med äldre. För inkomst pekar tidigare forskning inte på en gemensam inkomstklass utan beroende på i vilket land undersökningen är gjord samt på vilken investerartyp den är gjord skiljer sig resultatet åt. Storstadsbor investerar enligt tidigare forskning mer hållbart än övrig befolkning och portföljvärdet för hållbara investerare beskrivs i regel vara lägre än för de icke hållbara. Genom t-test undersöks skillnaden mellan hållbara samt icke-hållbara och genom regressionsanalyser undersöks hur demografiska variabler har en påverkan på graden av hållbarhet i svenska privata aktieportföljer.  Undersökningen finner vad gäller skillnaden mellan hållbara och icke-hållbara investerare att variabeln ålder utgör en statistiskt signifikant skillnad mellan de olika investerartyperna. Resultatet talar emot den teoretiska referensramen och visar att investerare över 65 år har högst koncentration i hållbara företag, jämfört med åldersklasserna 18-44 och 45-64. Skillnaden mellan könen tyder även på att kvinnor investerar mer hållbart än män och att hållbara investerare har en lägre genomsnittlig inkomst än de icke hållbara investerarna.

Den Europeiska Unionen vill med Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) standardisera hållbarhetsredovisning för företag som är verksamma inom unionen. Återigen kommer fler och fler företag omfattas av reglerna att behöva upprätta en obligatorisk hållbarhetsredovisning – vilket kan utgöra en utmaning för mindre erfarna små och medelstora företag. Denna studie undersökte små och medelstora företags syn på hållbarhetsredovisning samt deras uppfattning för dess kärnbegrepp; närmare bestämt ESG och materialitet. Studien utfördes genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med sex företag och med hjälp av sju respondenter. Studien visade att det finns en överväldigande positiv inställning till hållbarhetsredovisning bland de studerade företagen. Hursomhelst framgick det tecken på att företagen var bristfällig i vissa aspekter. Till exempel upplevde samtliga företag svårigheter med att koppla delar av sin verksamhet till hållbarhet på en bolagsstyrningsnivå (eng. governance). Liknande resultat upptäcktes för materialitet. Alla företag upplevdes ha svårigheter att begripa innebörden av begreppet ’materialitet’. Studien visade, trots svårigheten att begripa innebörden av materialitet, att de studerade företagen visade tecken på att vara effektiva i identifieringen av materiella hållbarhetsaspekter. / The European Union wants to standardize sustainability reporting with the implementation of the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD). Once again, more and more enterprises will be subject to the mandatory requirements to disclose sustainability information – which may pose a challenge for less experienced small and medium sized enterprises. This study examines the perception of small and medium sized enterprises on sustainability reporting and its foundational concepts; namely environmental, social and governance (ESG) and materiality. The study was conducted on six individual companies and seven interviewees in total. The study concludes that there exists an overwhelmingly positive perception of sustainability reporting amongst the studied enterprises. However, there were signs that the studied companies were deficient in certain aspects. For example, all enterprises experienced difficulties in identifying aspects of their business that could be linked with governance sustainability. Similar results were discovered on the materiality topic. All enterprises had difficulties in understanding the term ‘materiality’. The study concludes that, despite the difficulty understanding materiality, the studied enterprises showed signs of being efficient in identifying material sustainability topics.

This thesis examines the enduring nature of child labour on Ivory Coast’s cocoa farms. The thesis shows that the role of the state in promoting instead of inhibiting child labour practices in the Ivory Coast favours the thriving of challenging factors to any prospect of a total abolition. This thesis focuses on the influences of traditions customary practices underpinning the child labour practice. The thesis shows the adverse role of Multinational Corporations operating in Ivory Coast’s cocoa industry. This thesis shows that despite Ivory Coast being a signatory to the ILO Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour 1999 (No. 182), the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (1999) as well as other regional and sub-regional legal instruments, the appropriate legal and policy response to child labour has yet to be provided. The thesis, therefore, offers the pedagogic approach as the shifting factor.

Critics of anti-social behaviour policy (ASB) introduced by New Labour Government since 1997 argue that it is overly punitive, and criminalises what is often sub-criminal or nuisance behaviour. Further criticism is that policy implementation through formal channels has led to the public increasingly relying on formal agencies in the governance of ASB, and becoming less willing to play an active role. The catalyst for my research was two Community Safety Teams aim to reverse this trend. I have developed an innovative approach in the form of a booklet (Let s Talk) based on the under-researched Imagined Intergroup Contact model associated with the Intergroup Contact Theory which underpins Intergenerational Practice. My thesis centres on the piloting of the booklet in two regions in England, and the proposition that Intergenerational approaches can be a useful way of understanding and addressing tensions associated with perceived anti-social behaviour by young people . Drawing broadly on a social constructionist paradigm (Burr, 1995), and using an inductive case study approach, both quantitative and qualitative data were collected via various research tools. The sample included local residents, representatives of community organisations and the Community Safety Teams (CST). Data were coded and analysed using NVivo and SPSS. Theoretical data analysis was underpinned by the Integrated Threat Theory and the Social Cognitive Theory. Compared with other theories associated with Intergenerational Practice, the Integrated Threat Theory gave a more comprehensive explanation for intergenerational tensions. SCT gave new insights into the concept of agency in relation to the governance of ASB. My research identified anti-social behaviour that the CSTs felt did not warrant formal intervention, and the booklet received enthusiastic support from all parties consulted as an alternative, community-based approach. Reasons for a few individuals not wanting to adopt the booklet approach were identified; these included personal factors and social dynamics. My findings provided important knowledge for the future development and use of the booklet. This thesis makes a significant contribution to knowledge. Firstly, it extends the theoretical explanation of intergenerational tensions, and adds insights into the concept of governance and the theoretical underpinnings of Intergenerational Practice. Secondly, it advances implications for practice in relation to fully exploring social dynamics other than intergenerational issues, taking account of potential multigenerational factors, and being aware that preparatory activities to strengthen selfefficacy may be required.

Institutional investors are increasing their ownership in corporations and therefore their influence on financial markets is expanding. The Swedish public pension funds are one of Sweden’s largest institutional investors, holding capital for pension savers that amount to 1 123 billion Swedish Kronor. Media and non-governmental organizations’ attention on institutional investors’ corporate engagement have put pressure on their work with socially responsible investments. The Swedish public pension funds are no exception. Recent reports reveal that the pension funds are still owners in fossil fuel intensive corporations as well as firms connected with human rights violations. The aim of this study is to identify factors that influence pension funds’ view on socially responsible investments. Particular focus is directed towards the funds’ view on corporations that are highly involved in fossil fuel emissions. The study is presented as a case study in which a comparison of management between two of Sweden´s public pension funds is made in order to define how the attitude towards socially responsible investments affect the choices of instruments of influence that are used in corporate engagement. The findings of the study argue that the two funds use similar instruments of influence in their corporate engagement. However, differences in how the instruments are applied exist and the study reveals that the two funds’ approaches to corporations that are highly involved in fossil fuel emissions are different. Conclusions from the study are that the funds’ work with socially responsible investments is based on the mandate to serve the Swedish citizens and manage their retirement money in a desirable way. The study argues that the funds’ view on socially responsible investments is based on their role as representatives for the majority of individuals in Sweden and that the funds actions, consequently, should reflect the majority opinion of the Swedish society.

The thesis explores the changing relations between the Zimbabwean state and local nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) after independence. It focuses on debates over the role of NGOs in democratization in developing countries, using Zimbabwe as an example. The thesis argues that the study of democratization is best accomplished through detailed empirical case studies, relying on historical narratives and participant-observation research. Such research reinforces our understanding of democratization as a complex and dynamic process. The thesis proposes a framework for understanding state and society relations in Zimbabwe, emphasizing the ruling party’s use of coercive and consent-generating mechanisms to establish hegemony over the new nation. It examines the changing relationship between NGOs and the state after independence, when the ruling party’s efforts to include most groups within its nationalist coalition extend to NGOs. Case studies of NGO coalitions show how activist NGOs fail to mobilize others owing to the unwillingness of many NGOs to challenge the ruling party’s control over policy-making. The establishment of the National Constitutional Assembly by some NGOs, churches and trade unionists set the stage for an increasingly tense engagement between NGOs and the state after 1997. The constitutional debate opened up the public sphere in new ways. As the ruling party attempted to retain control over the political sphere and the constitutional debate, NGO politics became increasingly polarized. The emergence of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change, and the prominence of NGO activists within its leadership, led to further conflict. After losing the February 2000 constitutional referendum, the regime sanctioned violent attacks on white farmers, businesspeople, and NGOs. While the ruling party attempted to shore up its support through nationalist rhetoric and financial incentives, groups perceived to oppose the state were excluded and vilified.

Submitted by Alexandre Garcia (atgempresarial@uol.com.br) on 2017-05-16T23:01:38Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Alexandre Sanches Garcia com ficha catalografica.pdf: 1908550 bytes, checksum: f5e1873071e0854913a4ca08177a36bd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Pamela Beltran Tonsa (pamela.tonsa@fgv.br) on 2017-05-17T14:16:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Alexandre Sanches Garcia com ficha catalografica.pdf: 1908550 bytes, checksum: f5e1873071e0854913a4ca08177a36bd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-05-17T18:35:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Tese Alexandre Sanches Garcia com ficha catalografica.pdf: 1908550 bytes, checksum: f5e1873071e0854913a4ca08177a36bd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-20 / In the last two decades, a growing number of executives have allocated time and resources on business strategy issues that involve corporate social responsibility (LACY; COWER, HAYWARD; NEUBERGER, 2010). Porter and Van der Linde (1995) already affirmed that we are passing through a phase of transition of the industrial history, in which the executives begin to realize investments in Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors like an economic and competitive opportunity, instead of cost or threat. But the question that remains nanswered is: when is it worth adopting these socio-environmental strategies? The central objective of this study is to measure the socio-environmental performance of companies and their relationship with economic and financial performance, investigating under what circumstances pays-to-be-green is worth. In this sense and based on the discussions in competitive socio-environmental strategies, such as the Porter Hypothesis and the Natural Resource Based View (NRBV), in addition to the literature on institutional and stakeholder theories, the present study sought to show performance in ESG of companies in various circumstances. Considering the institutional, cultural and regulatory differences between countries, the ESG performance and its relation to the financial performance of companies from emerging and developed countries were investigated. It also investigated whether the company's stock sustainability index results in better performance, ESG and financial, compared to companies not listed in these indexes. Through the ASSET4 database, the panel data methodology was used with 2,165 companies from developed and emerging countries. The results allow us not to reject the hypotheses raised that there is a prevalence of the institutional environment in relation to financial performance and ESG performance, indicating that there is a positive association in the economic-financial performance and ESG of companies only in developed countries. In companies in emerging countries, this relationship is negative. In addition, it has been found that being listed on a stock exchange sustainability index, while bringing better ESG performance to the company, does not cause a reflection on its economic-financial performance. Additionally, it was found that companies belonging to sectors of economic activities considered controversial have better ESG performance than companies from other sectors. These results contribute to the debate on the theme "pays-to-be-green", showing that possible methodological differences used in several academic works explain the contradictory results found so far. The results of this work show that corporate executives and public managers from emerging economies still have a long way to go in pursuing ESG best practices. / Nas últimas duas décadas, um número crescente de executivos tem alocado tempo e recursos em assuntos de estratégia empresarial que envolve a responsabilidade social das organizações (LACY; COOPER; HAYWARD; NEUBERGER, 2010). Porter e Van der Linde (1995) já afirmava que estamos passando uma fase de transição da história industrial, na qual os executivos começam a perceber investimentos em fatores Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) como uma oportunidade econômica e competitiva, ao invés de custo ou ameaça. Mas a pergunta que ainda fica sem resposta é: quando vale a pena adotar essas estratégias socioambientais? O objetivo central desse estudo é a mensuração do desempenho socioambiental das empresas e sua relação com o desempenho econômico-financeiro investigando em que circunstâncias vale a pena ser verde (pays-to-be-green). Nesse sentido e pautado pelas discussões em estratégias socioambientais competitivas, como a Hipótese de Porter e a Natural Resource Based View (NRBV), além da literatura das teorias institucional e do stakeholder, o presente estudo buscou mostrar o desempenho ESG das empresas em diversas circunstâncias. Considerando as diferenças institucional, cultural e regulamentar entre países, foram investigados os desempenhos ESG e sua relação com o desempenho financeiro das empresas pertencentes a países emergentes e de países desenvolvidos. Também investigou se o fato da empresa pertencer a índices de sustentabilidade de bolsas de valores resulta em melhores desempenhos, ESG e financeiro, comparados às empresas não listadas nesses índices. Por meio do banco de dados ASSET4, foi utilizada a metodologia de dados em painel com 2.165 empresas de países desenvolvidos e de países emergentes. Os resultados permitem não rejeitar as hipóteses levantadas de que há prevalência do ambiente institucional na relação desempenho financeiro e desempenho ESG, indicando que há associação positiva no desempenho econômico-financeiro e ESG das empresas somente dos países desenvolvidos. Já nas empresas de países emergentes essa relação é negativa. Além disso, verificou-se que estar listada em índice de sustentabilidade de bolsas de valores, embora gere melhor desempenho ESG para a empresa, não causa reflexo no seu desempenho econômico-financeiro. Adicionalmente, foi constatado que empresas pertencentes a setores de atividades econômicas consideradas polêmicas possuem melhor desempenho ESG do que empresas dos outros setores. Tais resultados contribuem para o debate do tema “pays-to-be-green”, mostrando que possíveis diferenças metodológicas utilizadas em diversos trabalhos acadêmicos explicam os resultados contraditórios até então encontrados. Os resultados desse trabalho mostram que os executivos das empresas e gestores públicos de países de economia emergente ainda tem um longo caminho a percorrer na buscar por melhores práticas ESG.

I dagsläget står vår omvärld inför flertal utmaningar utifrån ett miljö- och socialt perspektiv. En effekt av detta är att efterfrågan av hållbara investeringsalternativ har ökat hos privatpersoner. I takt med att medvetenheten om hur privatpersoners investeringar kan bidra till en förbättrad omvärld har andelen svenska människor som söker investeringar i hållbara fonder ökat. Genom att investera pengar i hållbara fonder kan privatpersoner påverka hur företag arbetar ur ett miljö- och socialt perspektiv. Hållbara fonder söker investeringsalternativ som leder till en positiv klimatpåverkan och social påverkan genom ett långsiktigt värdeskapande. Information om hur hållbara fondbolag går till väga för att identifiera och investera i hållbara alternativ är dock bristande vilket kan leda till att privatpersoner inte vet hur deras pengar hanteras utav fondbolagen vid val av investeringar. Denna studie har som syfte att beskriva och analysera vilka investeringsstrategier svenska fondbolag använder för att identifiera hållbara investeringar. Studien har anpassat en kvalitativ metod och, med hjälp av fyra semistrukturerade intervjuer med svenska fondbolag, samlat in data avseende hur de går till väga innan, under och efter investeringsbeslut. Studiens slutsats är att fondbolagen använder negativ- och positiv screening baserat på ESG-kriterier för att identifiera hållbara investeringsalternativ. Efter det att fondbolagen har investerat i ett företag använder fondbolagen olika former av engagemang för att säkerställa att investeringen fortsatt förblir hållbar. / The global community is currently facing various environmental and social challenges, leading to an increased demand for sustainable investment options among private individuals. In response, the proportion of Swedish individuals seeking sustainable investment options has grown. This study describes and analyzes the investment strategies used by Swedish fund companies to identify sustainable investments. A qualitative method was applied and included four semi-structured interviews with Swedish fund companies. The results indicate that fund companies use negative and positive screening based on ESG criteria to identify sustainable investment opportunities and employ various forms of engagement to ensure the sustainability of the investment. This study contributes to the understanding of how fund companies identify sustainable investments and can inform private individuals on the processes used by such companies.

Urban movements are defined as groups of citizens that try to emphasize urban problems. Originally urban movements in reference to Manuel Castells addressed issues arising from the collective consumption and uneven accumulation of capital to government. The interest of current urban movements is broader. They focus on topics as quality of urban life, accessibility of urban spaces and urban infrastructure and policy making process. The aim of this diploma thesis is to describe urban movements in the context of civic society in Prague. The thesis focuses on the origin, activities, topics and relations of urban movements. The case study focuses on urban movements participating on three topics in city district Prague 8 (eco-centre Trojský vrch, Invalidovna in Karlín and Libeňský most). Semi- structured interviews were conducted with representatives of involved urban movements and selected local politicians. Results of the research imply that Czech urban movements actively influence neighbourhoods. Activities of urban movements are affected by the members' relation to the locality, but also by the territorial scope of movements. Actions of the current urban movements are linked to new possibilities of ICT; the movement works with the community of social network users and uses the shared information...

This thesis contributes to the currently still sprawling literature on the force of sustainable investing together with the “Big Five” personality structure (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism). By investigating which personality trait, based on the Big Five personality taxonomy, that was willing to exchange revenue for a higher ESG rating in a hypothetical investment fund, we were able to determine when private investors were willing to pay more for a more sustainable investment. We use new data from our own questionnaire where the respondents are adult individuals residing in Sweden who has invested in the stock market. The data was analyzed with an econometric approach and for the regression ordinary least square and tobit was used. The results revealed that two personality traits (conscientiousness and agreeableness) tended to be less interested in sustainable investments, as they were not willing to pay for a fund with a higher ESG rating, unlike Openness to Experience, where the willingness to pay was high. The other two traits also showed a positive relationship and thus willingness to trade revenue for sustainability. This thesis contributes to the knowledge on how the personality of the private investors can motivate investment decisions and the preference of companies they invest in.