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Corporate Social Responsibility
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6.26.2007 - 10:00pm ET
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Global eSustainability Initiative to Identify Material Issues for the Information and Communications Technology Industry
(CSRwire) - June 20, 2007 - The Global eSustainability Initiative (GeSI) – an
initiative of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies
aimed at improving the sustainability impact of the ICT industry – today
announced its intention to identify the most material social and
environmental issues for the sector.
"It is critical that we prioritize our most significant risks and
opportunities if we are to maximize the contribution the ICT industry can
make to sustainable development," said Luis Neves, Chair of GeSI. "This
process will inform the future strategies of both GeSI and its member
companies."
While companies leading corporate responsibility efforts seek to maximize
their sustainability contribution by prioritizing their most material
issues, there is a lack of consensus for identifying issues that are most
material for the ICT industry as a whole. GeSI intends to fill this
void.
Identifying material issues in the ICT sector is increasingly important
given the industry’s rapid move toward convergence of previously
separate ICT products and services – such as web surfing over phones or
TV over the Internet, for example.
GeSI has commissioned Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) to run the
materiality process. BSR is a global non-profit organization whose mission
is to create a more just and sustainable economy by working with companies
to promote responsible business practices, innovation and
collaboration.
"The decision by GeSI to take an industry-wide approach to materiality is
a significant innovation," said Dunstan Hope, the Director of BSR’s ICT
team. "As well as prioritizing material issues, we hope and expect that
further opportunities for multi-stakeholder collaboration will come to the
forefront during the process."
The outcome of the materiality process will be a list of issues that
are potentially material to all companies in the ICT sector. These issues
will be:
Global
Informed by consultation with stakeholders, for example through a
series of multi-stakeholder dialogues
Focused on those areas where the ICT sector can make the most
substantial contribution to sustainable development
Categorized by ICT industry sub-sectors such as consumer electronics,
service providers, Internet and equipment manufacturing.
Forward looking, which is particularly important given the speed of
development in the ICT industry
The outcome is intended to deliver the following benefits:
Companies can support their own materiality processes and assist in
the development of sustainability reports and strategies.
Investment analysts gain understanding of the issues considered most
material to companies in the ICT sector, and thereby assist analysts in
their research of and engagement with the ICT sector.
GeSI can focus the development of its own future strategy and work
plan to cover those issues most material to the ICT sector.
The results of the materiality process will be published in early
2008.
About Global eSustainability Initiative
GeSI is an initiative of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
companies, with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme
and International Telecommunication Union. As the collective voice of its
members, GeSI aims to influence the sustainability debate, inform the
public of its members' voluntary actions to improve their sustainability
performance, and prompt information and communicate technologies that
foster sustainable development. For more information visit www.gesi.org.
About Business for Social Responsibility
Since 1992, Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has been providing
socially responsible business solutions to many of the world’s leading
corporations. Headquartered in San Francisco and with offices in Europe,
China and Hong Kong, BSR is a nonprofit business association that serves
its 250 member companies and other Global 1000 enterprises. Through
advisory services, convenings and research, BSR works with corporations
and concerned stakeholders of all types to create a more just and
sustainable global economy. For more information, visit www.bsr.org.
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