Why Corporate Social Responsibility is good for your business:

• You enhance your brand image and reputation.
  
• You increase loyalty from your customers,
  employees and suppliers.
  
• You educate and inspire others.
  
• You forge vital links between good business,
  and the good that business can do.
  
• You reduce regulatory oversight.

At the heart of Corporate Responsibility (CR) is the imperative that a corporate enterprise conduct its business in an accountable manner with respect to impacts on people and the environment. For the finalists being recognized here tonight, "walking the talk” begins with their corporate set of values – corporate beliefs which govern the behaviour of all their employees in their interaction with each other, the public, their customers and suppliers.

 

While CR does not have a universal definition, it is a vehicle for integrating those activities which go beyond the bottom line and influence a company’s reputation and standing in the community.  Not only is CR the source of ethical outcomes, it also make sound business sense – “good ethics is good business.”

Useful links:

New from eMarketer
"College Students Spend On Brands That Respect Mother Nature"

Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR):
www.cbsr.ca

... "defines, supports, promotes and advocates responsible policies and practices that benefit employees, communities, the economy and our environment."  Visit the "News and Events" and "Our Newsletter" sections to learn about up-to-date happenings in the world of CSR. A summary document of our recently released GoodCompany Guidelines is available.

Social Investment Organization (SIO):
www.socialinvestment.ca

... a national nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of a socially and environmentally sustainable society through socially responsible investment (SRI) and corporate social responsibility (CSR)." [from the SIO home page]

Canadian Centre for Business in the Community (CCBC):
www.conferenceboard.ca/ccbc

... an initiative of The Conference Board of Canada, whose mission is "to help [its] members anticipate and respond to the increasingly changing global economy... through the development and exchange of knowledge about organizational strategies and practices, emerging economic and social trends and key public policy issues."

Business for Social Responsibility (BSR):
www.bsr.org

... assists members in creating that value by providing expert help as companies address the full range of corporate responsibility issues."  BSR's Global Business Responsibility Resource Center is "a comprehensive worldwide information resource on corporate social responsibility.  The Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility section includes some excellent information on the business importance of CSR

CSR Europe:
www.csreurope.org

... the business-to-business network for Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe. We are a membership-based organization. Our mission is to help companies achieve profitability, sustainable growth and human progress by placing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the mainstream of business practice."

The Centre for Innovation in Corporate Responsibility (CICR):
www.cicr.net

… to "lead and assist Canadian businesses in redefining and realizing responsible international business practice. [CICR] aims to work in partnership with Canadian businesses working in or with developing countries to enhance business performance through sound corporate citizenship and responsible international business practices focused on sustainable human development."

Canadian Centre for Ethics and Corporate Responsibility (CCECP):
www.ethicscentre.com

… encourages organizations to take into account the ethical dimension in making their business decisions and developing their policies and practices. To explore and promote the role of ethics in the conduct of organizations and of individuals who work in and with them.

Transparency International - Canada:
www.transparency.ca

… informs the business community, the government, and the general public of the effects of corruption in the international marketplace, and to provide support and resources for public and private sector initiatives to prevent corrupt business practices.

Ethics Practitioners Association of Canada:
www.epac-apec.hypermart.net

…promotes ethical behavior in organizations through improving the quality and availability of ethics advice. A bilingual national membership organization of ethics officers, consultants and academics.

Task force on the Churches and Corporate Responsibility (TCCR):
www.web.net/~tccr

…an ecumenical coalition of the major churches in Canada. As a research-action program, the Task force assists member organizations in promoting and implementing policies adopted by them on the social and environmental responsibility of Canadian-based corporations and financial institutions. 

Office of the Ethics Counsellor:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/SSG/oe00001e.html

… responsible for the Conflict of Interest and Post-Employment Code for Public Office Holders, the Lobbyists Registration Act, and the Lobbyists' Code of Conduct. The Office regularly provides advice on ethical issues to federal and provincial departments and agencies, foreign governments as well as private sector organizations.

Industry Canada:
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/csr

… promotes sustainable development as part of its mandate to create the foundation for a more productive, competitive, knowledge-based economy.

Do you know of a CSR website resource you'd like to share? Please e-mail
eia@ethicsinaction.com