Study Shows Youths Increasingly Voting for Socially Responsible Companies Via Their Wallets
It's not just adults who vote with their wallets in supporting socially responsible brands. Increasingly, young people do too. The latest edition of C&R Research's syndicated YouthBeat report finds that even children as young as 6- to 10-year-olds are more likely to buy a product if a portion of the price goes to a cause they support. The 20 percent who do so in the YouthBeat survey panel represent the start of a trend line that grows more pronounced with each age group - to nearly 40 percent of tweens (age 9 to 12) and almost half of the teens.
Read the news release.

Two-Thirds of CFOs Don't Expect to Boost Sustainability Efforts in Next 12 Months; Others See More Urgency, Survey Reveals
Despite the nation’s attention on eco-friendly programs and policies, a new survey suggests most businesses are not planning to step up their efforts in this area — at least not in the next year. When asked whether they expect their companies’ emphasis on green initiatives to increase, decrease or remain the same in the next 12 months, 68 percent of chief financial officers (CFOs) interviewed said they anticipate no changes. More than a quarter (28 percent), however, said they expect an increased focus on the issue. The survey was developed by Robert Half Management Resources.
Read the news release and the survey details.

Social Responsibility Key to Attracting Top Talent
Organizations with strong social responsibility practices are being viewed as “employers of choice” by today’s job seekers across the globe who overwhelmingly prefer companies that focus beyond performance outcomes and promote larger social goals, according to the latest findings from an international workplace survey.
See more on the findings of the study by Kelly Services.

Climate Change, Human Rights Top Business Sustainability Priorities
Climate change and human rights are the most significant priorities for business' sustainability efforts in the year ahead, according to the "BSR/GlobeScan State of Sustainable Business Poll 2009" of 274 business leaders from 15 countries at the recent BSR Conference 2009.
See the poll results.

Top 10 U.S. Business Schools Focusing on CSR
The need for candidates with experience in the CSR field is growing at a fast pace as communications improve and a demand for increased transparency and accountability in the corporate sector increases. According the Aspen Institute Center for Business Education, here are the top ten business schools in the United States that integrate CSR into curricula and research.
See the Top 10 List.

Cause Marketing Grows, But is a Backlash Ahead?
Edelman's 2009 Goodpurpose Consumer Study found that 57% of consumers worldwide say a brand or product earned their business because it was associated with, or supported, a good cause. Furthermore, 61% say they have purchased a brand that supports a good cause even when it wasn't the cheapest option, and 67% said they would switch brands if another brand of similar quality supported a cause they were interested in.
Read the news release.

Two-Thirds of American New Media Users Feel They Can Influence Business Practices by Voicing Opinions Online
Forty-four percent of American new media users are searching for, sharing or discussing information about corporate responsibility (CR) efforts and programs and are highly confident they can have an effect on business, according to the 2009 Cone Consumer New Media Study.
Read more about the study.