3p Contributor: Cindy Mehallow
Recent Articles
When to Dismount a Dead Horse
The Economist’s Corporate Citizenship Conference “Doing Well by Doing Good” wrapped up earlier last week and provided a variety of perspectives on what exactly needs to be done, how and by whom to restore our economy, corporate ethics and public trust. It was no surprise that the bleak economic situation was a recurring theme echoed by the speakers, but I was struck by the dichotomy of opinions, with some speakers expressing optimism, while others took a bleaker outlook on the economy and the role of corporate citizenship. One issue all the speakers did agree on was the need to replace failed policies, practices and attitudes, at societal, corporate and personal levels with a truly sustainable approach.
The Road from Ruin
Economist US Business Editor and New York Bureau Chief Matt Bishop kicked off the conference by pronouncing that the economic crisis offers the opportunity to reshape capitalism (no small feat). He admitted that he and the Economist have moved away from their belief that “The business of business is business” a la Milton Friedman. Given the magnitude of the problems facing our world, Bishop maintains that it is imperative for organizations the size of today’s global corporations to step up to the plate.
Defining Corporate Citizenship
How much of a role should business play in tackling global questions such as climate change, unemployment, restoring trust in the aftermath of the financial crisis and distributing international aid? What is the nature and extent of the private sector’s responsibility in resolving these issues? At what point should corporations step alongside government and help shoulder some of the burden? These questions, which go to the very heart of defining corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility, are some of the issues that will be discussed at the Economist’s 2010 Corporate Citizenship Conference kicking off this week. In light of the financial crisis, this year’s convocation will rightfully explore restoring trust and increasing transparency in the financial markets and job creation, in addition to balance in international aid and post-Copenhagen strategies for moving forward.
The conference line-up features a veritable who’s who of big names in sustainability and leading thinkers from the public sector including: Diana Taylor managing director of Wolfensohn & Co. and former president of the World Bank; US Department of Labor deputy secretary Seth Harris; Loews Hotels chairman and CEO Jonathan M. Tisch; and Steve Case, co-founder of America Online and chairman and CEO of Revolution. A highlight will be a conversation with President Bill Clinton who will likely provide an update on the Clinton Global Initiative.
The Economist’s 2010 Corporate Citizenship Conference
Giving Government a Helping Hand
How much of a role should business play in tackling global questions such as climate change, unemployment, restoring trust in the aftermath of the financial crisis and distributing international aid? What is the nature and extent of the private sector’s responsibility in resolving these issues? At what point should corporations step alongside government and help shoulder some of the burden? These questions, which go to the very heart of defining corporate citizenship and corporate social responsibility, are some of the issues that will be discussed at the Economist’s 2010 Corporate Citizenship Conference kicking off next week.
The conference line-up features a veritable who’s who of big names in sustainability and leading thinkers from the public sector including: Diana Taylor managing director of Wolfensohn & Co. and former president of the World Bank; US Department of Labor Deputy Secretary Seth Harris; Loews Hotels Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan M. Tisch; and Steve Case, co-founder of America Online and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Revolution. A highlight will be a conversation with President Bill Clinton who will likely provide an update on the Clinton Global Initiative.
Getting Started in CSR Social Media: Examples from Intel & Timberland
If one of your resolutions for the new year is to better utilize social m
edia to tell your company’s sustainability stories, take a look at how Intel and Timberland are tapping the potential of the Web 2.0 In a recent webinar hosted by the National Association of Environmental Managers, these web-savvy CSR managers described how they’re integrating blogs, Twitter, and other social media into their overall sustainability communications strategies. And, they offered advice for social media beginners.
Intel’s CSR reporting has come a long way since 1994 when it published its first Environment, Health and Safety Report. For starters, it now publishes a full corporate responsibility report prepared according to the GRI reporting guidelines.
Waste of Paper or Wellspring of Opportunity? The True Value of CSR Reports
Some skeptics question the value of corporate social responsibility reports. They point to the resources expended on producing these documents and demand “Who reads them, anyway?” While that may be a valid question, I think a more informative question is “What value does producing a CSR report offer to the company doing the reporting?”
Based on my experience producing CSR reports, I have seen firsthand the positive impact that publishing a report can have on a company’s employees and performance management. So, I wasn’t too surprised when Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship’s new report, The Value of Social Reporting, found that “a social report, and the reporting process,” make CSR reports a “unique tool for promoting good corporate citizenship.”
Authors Belinda Richards and David Woods studied the evolution of social reporting at seven companies from a range of industries: Baxter International Inc., Gap, Nestle, Novo Nordisk, Seventh Generation, State Street and Telefonica. Their research focused not on the reports, but rather on the process and outcomes of reporting.
What to Report on? How Two CSR Leaders Decide
We’ve all seen them. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports weighing it at nearly 100 pages, crammed with charts and graphs, and gray with type. There’s valuable information in there, but unearthing commentary on issues of strategic importance can be daunting.
That’s why I was especially curious to hear CSR managers from two industry leaders, FedEx and Gap Inc., explain how they determine CSR report content in a presentation at the recent Net Impact 2009 Conference at Cornell University.
While both managers acknowledged the value of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework, they lamented its limitations. As a general framework designed to be used by all companies, the GRI calls for a plethora of data which might not be relevant to a particular company or could require addition of costly data-gathering processes. So, like many other companies, CSR reporting leaders FedEx and Gap Inc. also use corporate strategy and stakeholder input to determine which issues are material to readers.
Secrets of Successful Social Intrapreneurs: Advice From Three Major Brands
Sustainability careers are in high demand, judging from the record-breaking attendance at the 2009 Net Impact Conference this past weekend (2,400 participants, 60% of which were MBA students). Problem is, there just aren’t that many full-time positions with “sustainability” or “corporate social responsibility” in the title. But, it is possible to create a full-time sustainability position where none exists, report three successful social intrapraneurs.
Do what you love. A self-described “soft-techy guy,” Accenture’s Mike Nicholus had a reputation of being able to deliver results in a global setting. He was also known as a tree-hugging guy who spouted phrases like “peak oil” and kept preying mantises around his home. After filling a variety of roles at Accenture and working closely with the CEO, Nicholus was tapped when the company decided to implement a work-at-home initiative.
Like most sustainability efforts, it paid off in several ways – substantial cost-savings for the firm, a reduced carbon footprint and workplace flexibility that employees crave. Now as director, global environment programs, Nicholus promotes programs to measure and manage Accenture’s environmental impact across operations in 49 countries. His strategy for selling “green” initiatives: “You need the ability to identify your key ‘buyers’ and make a sound business case for your proposal.”
Nicholus’ advice: Figure out how to do your day job in four days and spend the fifth day doing what you love. Then flavor the other four days with that.
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