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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
3.20.2007 - 10:23am ET
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Cone LLC Integrates Strategy and Communication with the Launch of Cone Corporate Responsibility Solutions
(CSRwire) BOSTON, MA - March 20, 2007 – Cone LLC is pleased to announce the formal
launch of Cone Corporate Responsibility Solutions(SM), services tailored
to help companies integrate corporate responsibility (CR) and
communications strategies to build business value and reputation. The
services are structured to provide multiple paths for a company to get
involved with CR at a critical time for business.
International polling by organizations such as Globescan indicates the
public has heightened expectations of companies in the area of corporate
responsibility, but that there is a growing "cynicism gap" in how
companies are actually perceived to be performing. With the internet
driving consumer empowerment and the demand for transparency, investor
activism growing, and global environmental issues becoming more urgent,
companies need to engage with CR as both a necessity and an opportunity.
"Our goal always is to help clients develop a broad-based CR strategy for
the way they operate, and then tie that to effective communication," says
Mike Lawrence, Cone’s Executive Vice President of Corporate
Responsibility. "It is critical to link these two areas to protect a
brand’s credibility and enhance reputation."
APPROACH AND SERVICES
Cone believes CR is about opportunities and business benefits—not merely
compliance or obligations. It can affect operational concerns including
governance, environment, and supply chain, as well as employee, customer,
and community relations. CR helps companies create innovative solutions,
ranging from the creation of new products to ensuring license to operate.
Cone's approach of combining CR strategy and communications enables
clients to manage and improve their impact and align corporate values and
behavior with the expectations and needs of stakeholders, including
employees, activities, communities, and investors. All of this is done in
a way that builds both business returns and relationships.
Companies can engage with Cone Corporate Responsibility Solutions(SM) in
several ways, including:
- Cone Complete-Cone works with a company on a phased
approach to a comprehensive CR strategy, brand positioning, and
communication plan that define and maintain a leadership position. Phases
include Business Assessment and Strategy Development, Stakeholder
Engagement, CR Communications, CR Reporting, and Ongoing Risk Management.
- Cone Community-Cone activates its network of key opinion
formers (including nonprofit, community, academic, and activist members)
to assess CR issues and offer solutions, gauge opinion about reputation
and social impacts, test new program ideas, or test awareness and views of
community involvement programs.
- Cone Exec-Cone provides a company’s CEO, Board and senior
management team with educational briefings on emerging CR issues and
trends, as well as advice and coaching on how to improve CR performance,
message and position existing CR activities, and create strategies for
increasing executive visibility.
- Cone Simulations-Cone leads exercises based on scenarios
around an issue or geographic region to help an organization strengthen
its CR understanding, and assess preparedness and design appropriate
policies, systems, and training.
CAPABILITIES AND TEAM
Cone pioneered the concept of Cause Branding(SM), and has more than a
quarter century of experience linking companies and social issues. The
agency also has extensive experience in marketing communications and
issues/crisis management, all of which have provided a foundation for
corporate responsibility work with clients such as Starbucks, Mattel,
Timberland, Pfizer, and Nestlé.
Cone's core team of CR specialists includes members with wide ranging
backgrounds:
- Mike Lawrence, an award-winning former business journalist with
25 years of news experience and a decade of crisis and issues management
work, advises clients on areas including governance, human rights,
stakeholder engagement, and communication.
- Henk Campher, former Director of Corporate Policy and Practices at
the International Business Leaders Forum (IBLF) and Oxfam Great Britain
policy advisor, brings more than ten years of experience helping companies
in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Africa to develop CR strategies.
- Mindy Gomes Casseres, former management consultant from
PricewaterhouseCoopers and USDA Forest Service employee, specializes in
environmental issues and CR reporting.
- Christine Riley, who helped develop the strategic vision and
long-term growth strategy for the Corporate Social Responsibility
Initiative at Harvard University's JFK School of Government, advises
clients on a range of CR issues.
Cone's team is launching "Activating Responsibility," a blog designed to
provide a platform for voicing ideas and fostering dialogue with others
passionate about CR. (Activating Responsibility can be found at: www.activatingresponsibility.com/blog/)
"Our team has extensive knowledge of the corporate responsibility issues
that drive different industries globally," says Jens Bang, President and
CEO of Cone. "We can help companies create innovative solutions to deal
with these issues in a way that builds brand value, corporate reputation,
and long-term business success."
Cone, LLC (www.coneinc.com) is a strategy and
communications agency engaged in building brand trust. Cone creates
stakeholder loyalty and long-term relationships through the development
and execution of Cause Branding(SM), Brand Marketing, Corporate
Responsibility, and Crisis Prevention and Management initiatives. Cone is
a member of the Omnicom Group.
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