The Center for Fair and Alternative Trade Studies (CFATS) in conjunction with the
College of Business’ Global Social and Sustainable Enterprise Program is pleased to present
economist and sustainable development expert
Michael Conroy

"Branded! How the Certification Revolution is Transforming Global Corporations"

Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
7:00 P.M. - 8:30 P.M.
Clark Building  rm: A207
(Book Signing to Follow)

BRANDED!
Corporations have not always made responsible social and environmental choices. Recently NGOs have employed a variety of telecommunications innovations to uncover unethical and irresponsible corporate practices. In his latest book, Michael Conroy highlights how these NGOs are impacting transnational corporate markets. Branded! demonstrates how the development of corporate, social, and environmental certification systems have transformed the ways retailers conduct business and it explores the ongoing challenges facing the notion of corporate accountability.

MICHAEL CONROY is an economist who taught for 25 years at the University of Texas. He has spent 12 years in various philanthropic positions and serves on the boards of several key certification organizations. These include TransFairUSA (the US labeling initiative for Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International - FLO); FLO-Cert (the monitoring and auditing branch of FLO); the Forest Stewardship Council; the FSC Global Fund; Earthworks (a Washington-based NGO that works on sustainable mining issues); and the Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development. This speaking engagement is a unique opportunity to learn about the certification revolution within fair and alternative trade from one of the foremost experts in the field.