Significance of the CSR debate for sustainability and related requirements for companies

Companies are currently facing a great variety of approaches and requirements concerning the implementation of sustainability strategies and the provision of sustainability reports. Questions focus on the relative significance ascribed to environmental protection and product orientation compared to -new issues” such as social aspects in the supply chain or employee interests. Of course, social issues are not new, but until recently they have been discussed separately. ... lees meer

Antony Burgmans (Unilever) and Robin Cornelius (Switcher) win the Fourth SAM/SPG Sustainability Leadership Award

For the first time, the SAM/SPG Sustainability Leadership Award, which acknowledges personal excellence in implementing the principles of sustainability in the corporate sector, has gone to a leader as well as to a pioneer. The jury has singled out Antony Burgmans, Chairman of Unilever N.V., as a leader who, during his years at the helm of the big multinational, has successfully championed sustainability. Robin Cornelius, the founder and CEO of Switcher, has been honoured as a pioneering entrepreneur. A total of 51 candidates were nominated for this year’s award, compared with 43 last year. ... lees meer

Korea Times: Corporate Social Responsibility

The main objective and primary social responsibility of a firm or a company is to maximize its profits and remain financially successful. This priority is widely accepted in the textbooks and corporate executive offices in the United States and other industrialized capitalist countries. I am confident that most employees of a corporation would also agree with this priority. ... lees meer

Corporate reporting on CSR should be more rigorous

(Published in The Financial Times of August 18, 2004). Sir, It is encouraging to see the London Stock Exchange becoming involved in corporate social responsibility matters, with its new online disclosure tool, the Corporate Responsibility Exchange (“Exchange acts to end burden of governance”, August 16). ... lees meer

Uniting to make reporting clearer

(Published in The Financial Times of August 18, 2004). Your article “Exchange acts to end burden of governance” (FT.com, August 16) illustrates that, even though fatigued and reticent, companies feel compelled to respond to the growing number of ad-hoc surveys seeking transparency in corporate governance and social responsibility matters. The pressure shows that the growing interest in environmental and social balance sheets is a sign of our times and here to stay, and the London Stock Exchange is to be commended for recognising the issue. ... lees meer

GRI asks for comments on the Public Agency Sector Supplement

Interest in sustainability reporting by the public sector has been growing rapidly. Agencies on every tier of government have started down the road to better transparency and reporting on their sustainability impacts, just as the general public has started to increase demand for more accountability. An international multi-stakeholder working group has drafted a Sector Supplement to compliment GRI’s Sustainability Reporting Guidelines and meet the reporting needs of public agencies. ... lees meer

Corporate Responsibility Initiatives Hit Limits

Gearing Up, a new SustainAbility report launched on 24 June in New York at the United Nations Global Compact Leaders Summit, concludes that despite achieving impressive momentum the corporate responsibility (CR) movement is bumping up against real limits. Some responsible businesses have scratched the surface of global issues like climate change and HIV/AIDS, but just as many work to maintain the status quo. The efforts of business, in combination with government and civil society, are quite simply being outpaced by the problems. It’s time for change. ... lees meer

GRI prepares it’s own sustainability report: have your say today!

What you would like to see in GRI’s first sustainability report? As a member of GRI’s international network you are an important stakeholder in the organisation. We value your thoughts on the general parameters we have set for the report – which include key decisions around issues such as boundaries, presentation, assurance and engagement. You are invited to submit your responses to a concise six-question survey on these issues. It will take less than 60 seconds to fill out, and your responses will remain anonymous. This short six-question survey will help us assess whether or not we are meeting your expectations. ... lees meer

Companies get friendly

(Published in the Slovak Spectator on 26 july 2004) CORPORATE social responsibility is only at the beginning of its path in Slovakia. Large companies with foreign capital usually have included this strategy in their corporate policy, but the Slovak business sector and the general public are still looking for ways to support society. ... lees meer