Blog Beppe Robiati

On the Social, Ethical and Spiritual Responsibility of Corporations

Tuesday, 14. July 2009 07:32

Giuseppe Robiati of the EBBF – European Bahá’í Business Forum consults with Italian Industrialists on the Social, Ethical and Spiritual Responsibility of Corporations
Borgo Ticino, Italy, July 14, 2009
Giuseppe Robiati on behalf of EBBF (www.ebbf.org) the European Bahá’í Business Forum, an international NGO representing businesspeople across 60 countries and dedicated to inspiring responsible business practices, contributed to the Fandis S.p.A. ( www.fandis.it ) sponsored conference series focussing on Corporate Social Responsibility.
Approximately 30 industrial leaders from the Novara area in Northern Italy met last week to explore and ask – What is the role and what is the influence of corporations and enterprises in their communities? And can companies assist the development of the environment they are connected with?
During the course of the conference a series of consultations and reflections brought about a higher awareness and understanding of the importance of creating a broader sense of well being in society to achieve a stable economic system. Mr. Robiati proposed the re-definition of the enterprise, no longer a profit-at-all-costs approach to business, but rather one which includes new objectives such as:
> the happiness of its employees
> improvement in the quality of life of the community that revolves around the company
> improvement in the application of values
> improvement of respect for the environment
> a more sustainable pattern of production
> more sustainable products
“Amongst the gems that we all share, we can find – love; the wish to serve; and unity. Businesspeople need to work on these three gems in their enterprises and will thus gain spiritual organisations whereby human resources will transform into inspired souls” expressed, Giuseppe Robiati, CEO, SCAC Industrial Group and founding member of EBBF.

Trial for seven Baha’i leaders reportedly delayed GENEVA, 13 July (BWNS)

Iranian officials have reportedly told families of the seven Baha’i leaders currently held in Evin prison in Tehran that their trial has been delayed. No new trial date was given. Held for more than a year, the seven were reportedly to have been tried on Saturday, although this information, too, was based on oral reports from officials, and such reports have often been unreliable in the past. The seven were arrested in the spring of 2008 and have been held more than a year without formal charges or access to their attorneys. Official Iranian news reports have said the Baha’is will be accused of “espionage for Israel, insulting religious sanctities and propaganda against the Islamic Republic.” The seven are Mrs. Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr. Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr. Afif Naeimi, Mr. Saeid Rezaie, Mrs. Mahvash Sabet, Mr. Behrouz Tavakkoli, and Mr. Vahid Tizfahm. All but one of the group were arrested on 14 May 2008 at their homes in Tehran. Mrs. Sabet was arrested on 5 March 2008 while in Mashhad. The Baha’i International Community has repeatedly said that the seven are being held solely because of their religious beliefs, calling for their immediate release. Such appeals for the release of the seven have been echoed by governments and human rights groups around the world. On Friday, Amnesty International issued a press release calling on Iranian authorities to release the seven. On Thursday, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, responding to a letter from Roxana Saberi, the Iranian-American journalist who spent almost four months in an Iranian cell, likewise urged the release of the seven. Also on Thursday, European Parliament member Angelika Beer, speaking on behalf of the Parliament’s delegation for Iran, called for the release of the seven, or, at the least, urged that any trial be free, fair and open.

Bahá’í Rights Day is dedicated to raise awareness about human rights abuses perpetrated against the Bahá’í community. Decades have passed and the Bahá’ís in Iran and Egypt have not had a minute of rest from the ongoing persecution. Looting of Bahá’í homes, the arrest and incarceration of Bahá’ís, denial of civil rights, the desecration of Bahá’í cemeteries, the expulsion of Bahá’í students from university and the closure of Bahá’í businesses are only a few aspects of the crusade launched against the Bahá’ís.

The date is significant inasmuch as the the trial of seven Iranian Bahá’í leaders, arrested in the spring of 2008, is scheduled to be held at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court on July 11, 2009.

Here’s how you can help

• Inform your friends, family and colleagues that on July 11 they should tweet, blog, Facebook in support of human rights for Bahá’ís
• Contact journalists to formally recognize this day and write about the Bahá’í persecution
•  
• Contact bloggers and request that they write about Bahá’ís and their rights.
•  
• Tweet about it consistently on July 11 and use the #BahaiRights hashtag in order for people to locate. The idea is to make #BahaiRights a top trend on July 11. Follow @BahaiRightsDay
•  
• You do not have to be a Bahá’í to participate! Please make others aware of that. We’re uniting to help raise awareness for the plight of the Bahá’ís, no matter what our race or religion may be.
• Inform yourself on the persecution at Iran Press Watch or the Muslim Network for Bahá’í Rights

Make every effort to spread the word about the day! Thank you.

Bahá’í Rights Day is dedicated to raise awareness about human rights abuses perpetrated against the Bahá’í community. Decades have passed and the Bahá’ís in Iran and Egypt have not had a minute of rest from the ongoing persecution. Looting of Bahá’í homes, the arrest and incarceration of Bahá’ís, denial of civil rights, the desecration of Bahá’í cemeteries, the expulsion of Bahá’í students from university and the closure of Bahá’í businesses are only a few aspects of the crusade launched against the Bahá’ís.
The date is significant inasmuch as the the trial of seven Iranian Bahá’í leaders, arrested in the spring of 2008, is scheduled to be held at Branch 28 of the Revolutionary Court on July 11, 2009.
Here’s how you can help
Inform your friends, family and colleagues that on July 11 they should tweet, blog, Facebook in support of human rights for Bahá’ís
Contact journalists to formally recognize this day and write about the Bahá’í persecution
      
Contact bloggers and request that they write about Bahá’ís and their rights. 
You do not have to be a Bahá’í to participate! Please make others aware of that. We’re uniting to help raise awareness for the plight of the Bahá’ís, no matter what our race or religion may be.
Inform yourself on the persecution at Iran Press Watch 
Make every effort to spread the word about the day!

Thank you.