CSR Can 'Blow Back' If Seen as Market-Driven, Researcher Says
Corporate social responsibility initiatives carry the potential for significant “blowback” if they are perceived as market-driven rather than at the core of company operations. And if that happens, public relations practitioners are in the direct line of fire.
So says organizational communication scholar Steve May in a report supported by a grant from The Arthur W. Page Center for Integrity in Public Communication at Penn State University.
Read the news release via Newswise.

Slow Economy Hasn't Slowed Initiation of CSR Reporting
The number of companies producing their first corporate social responsibility (CSR) report in 2009 is matching the level of last year, suggesting that the downturn has done little to dent the growing popularity of CSR reports. So far in 2009, 456 companies have produced a CSR report for the first time, according to data from CorporateRegister.com, with the number expected to hit around 700 once counting has been completed in the first quarter of 2010. That compares to 623 first-time reporters in 2008 and 536 in 2007.
Read more from the Cross Border Group.

Corporate Social Responsibility Enters the Strategic Realm
Organizations today are increasingly recognising the benefit of focusing on environmental and social responsibility as a strategic objective. IBM's 2009 survey of 224 business leaders worldwide shows that three quarters of respondents in Western Europe believe corporate social responsibility (CSR) has increased in importance over the past year.
Read the article in CIO magazine.

UN Study Shows Encouraging Trends in Human Rights
In independent analysis, based on a review of 57 recent sustainability reports from companies representing a range of industry sectors, presents examples of encouraging trends in human rights reporting, as well as indications of key areas where there is room for improvement.
See the report, and the UN's updated Corporate Guide to Human Rights Reporting

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.
Read the news release.

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.
See more on the findings of the study by Kelly Services.