CorporateResponsibility.Net

Sustainability reports place too much emphasis on completeness in the sense of covering many topics while lacking focus and a balanced discussion on the opportunities and challenges faced by the company, according to a study by Ernst & Young.

The study assessed the quality of sustainability reports from 154 European companies included in the Financial Times top 500. The study focused on six aspects: stakeholder management, balance between positive and negative aspects, readibility, comparability, reliability, and corporate governance structures as regards sustainability. Read more and download the report

Source: CSR Europe

Corporate Knights, the Canadian CSR magazine, has published its 2009 list of the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world.

The Global 100 is a list of publicly-traded, MSCI World-listed companies that are best equipped to manage the environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks and opportunities, based on research and analysis by Innovest Strategic Value Advisors. The Innovest methodology compares companies to their sector peers on a best-in-class basis.

CSR Europe members on the list include Accor, BASF, Coca-Cola Company, Groupe Danone, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, L’Oréal, Novo Nordisk, Panasonic, Procter & Gamble, SAP, State Street, Toyota Motor and Unilever. See the full list

Source: CSR Europe

The European Commission will publish an action plan in March to boost the role of ICT in helping to green the EU economy, but extra effort from the technology industry may be necessary, EurActiv reports.

According to estimates by consulting firm McKinsey, widespread use of intelligent devices and applications could reduce global CO2 emissions by as much as 15% by 2020. The reduction would help the Union to achieve ambitious environmental targets agreed in December 2007.

Under the EU executive’s plans, cities, buildings and cars could all be equipped with new devices that are able to measure and reduce CO2 emissions. The growing shift to teleworking and online business will also have a positive impact on climate change. Read more (EurActiv)

Source: CSR Europe

SAM, the sustainability investment specialist, and Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, have added four additional blue-chip indexes to the family of Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). The new indexes provide market participants with tools to track sustainability leaders in the U.S., North America and globally.

The methodology for the new indexes applies the same approach as the Dow Jones STOXX Sustainability 40 Index and Dow Jones EURO STOXX Sustainability 40 Index. The sustainability scores are derived from a comprehensive annual assessment of general as well as industry-specific criteria covering issues such as corporate governance, risk management, emissions, water and energy consumption, human capital development and stakeholder relations. Read more (pdf) (DJSI)

Source: CSR Europe

Business & Society Belgium, one of CSR Europe’s 25 national partner organisations, has recently published a practical guide on CSR reporting available in French, Dutch and English.

The guide aims to set out the latest trends in non-financial reporting in response to stakeholder expectations. It provides answers to questions such as:

1. What are stakeholders’ expectations with regard to non-financial reports?
2. How can these reports be used as dynamic communication tools in coherence with sustainable development strategies?
3. Which tools are available to businesses?
4. What are the phases and success factors in producing a quality report?

The guide, developed by a working group of 15 B&SB member companies, is available at: www.businessandsociety.be/display.asp?lang=2&nav=311&art=1467&mode=showarticle

CR News Source: CSR Europe

In the West, companies are playing an active role in the development of society after picking up on the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), yet this remains a relatively ignored concept in Russia, the Moscow News reports.

“For the Russian consumer it (CSR) has not traditionally been a factor in the decision-making pro­cess”, according to Eric Schempp, the Development Director of Miramed, a US-based charity working in Russia and seeking to promote CSR. However, as Russians earn more and disposable income increases, CSR will develop due to its increasing importance for consumers, he says. Read more (The Moscow News)

CR news Source: CSR Europe

At a time when most people are tightening their purse strings and bracing against the global credit crunch, the rich are splurging more cash than ever on luxury lifestyles, The Independent reports on the results of recent research.

But the new Centurion Luxury Living Index, which analyses current and future spending patterns of some of the company’s wealthiest customers, also identified an unexpected trend: that more wealthy consumers are turning their backs on brash materialism and instead embracing the joys of the natural world. Read more

News Source: The Independent
CR News Source: CSR Europe