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Pressure groups’ inability to work together and agree a common set of goals means they risk missing their best opportunity in 10 years to affect world thinking – August’s World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). That is the conclusion of a report released today by Infonic, the Internet research and communications consultancy. The report, the second in a series of five analysing the implications of the WSSD, also predicts that if decisive action is not agreed at the Summit, there will be a backlash against business’s role in the sustainability debate. ... lees meer

The final version of “The Desirability and Feasibility of ISO Corporate Social Responsibility Standards” is now available. The report was prepared by the “Consumer Protection in the Global Market” Working Group of COPOLCO, the Consumer Policy Committee of ISO (the International Organization for Standardization), and was considered by COPOLCO at its June, 2002 annual meeting in Trinidad. The report forms the basis for an ISO COPOLCO resolution to ISO Council on ISO CSR standards. ... lees meer

Business leaders and academics are teaming up in a groundbreaking attempt to prove to the European business community that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) makes good business sense. Their joint research project, the European Academy of Business in Society , represents a unique and pioneering alliance between Europe’s leading business schools and more than a dozen major multinational companies (including Shell, Johnson & Johnson, Levi’s, Danone and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations). The Academy’s mission is to be a world-class reference point to drive CSR into the mainstream of business practice, theory and education, and to enhance models for sustainable business success. ... lees meer

On 2nd July 2002 the Commission adopted a communication concerning “CSR, a business contribution to sustainable development”. ... lees meer

On 2 July, the Commission is expected to publish a Communication on corporate social responsibility. The proposal is likely to focus on how the EU can promote best practice, code of conducts and social labels. ... lees meer

International companies will be able to report on their reductions of greenhouse gas emissions thanks to a new uniform accounting and reporting standard. This standard, the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), was developed over a three-year period and presented by the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD). It will be launched in Brussels on 26 October. ... lees meer

Exclusive research for The Observer shows that the business world faces a big challenge in persuading opinion formers that companies are serious about corporate social responsibility (CSR) and do not need to be forced to behave better. ... lees meer

Social, environmental and sustainability reporting has grown dramatically in recent years. The change has been led by large corporations, particularly those with high public profiles and brands. The practice is also rapidly extending to other parts of the international business community, and to the public and private non-profit organisations. Whilst this is welcome, there are emerging concerns about the quality of disclosure. There are increasing calls from influential stakeholders for more systematic disclosure of social and sustainability performance and greater assurance about the reliability of the information. AccountAbility’s AA1000S Assurance Standard will fill the ‘assurance gap’ by providing a robust, credible framework for the independent quality assurance of social and sustainability reporting. ... lees meer

Consumers and shareholders are increasingly inclined to “punish” companies that are socially irresponsible, a new survey showed. According to the third Annual CSR Monitor by Environics International, the proportion of consumers who report punishing companies because of poor social performance has increased from last year’s survey, from 20 percent to 29 percent. In addition, a majority of shareholders say that they would sell their shares in a company if it behaved in a socially irresponsible manner, even if the share earnings were significant. ... lees meer

As market forces and market failures provoke demands for greater corporate responsibility, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) announces the public release of the first corporate accountability tool of its kind in Canada – The GoodCompany Guidelines. These guidelines enable companies to assess, improve and report on their social, environmental and financial performance. ... lees meer