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Global Corporations Unite to Examine World-Class Performance in Corporate Citizenship
Global Corporations Unite to Examine World-Class Performance in Corporate Citizenship
Published 09-14-04
Submitted by Center for Corporate Citizenship
Collectively, this important group of companies - IBM, General Electric, FedEx, Cargill, 3M, Diageo, Omron, Manpower, and General Motors - represent more than $544 billion in annual revenues, employ some 1.4 million people and have multi-national operations that span the globe.
"These are best-in-class companies who have been practicing corporate citizenship activities for years," said Steve Rochlin, Director of Research and Policy Development for The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College. "Their willingness to share their experiences will have a significant impact on other companies, especially those with fewer resources or those who have been late to recognize the importance of integrating corporate responsibility measures into their core business strategy."
"Crucially, these leading companies are identifying elements of their corporate responsibility programs that not only improve but drive business performance," said Simon Zadek, CEO of AccountAbility. "Capturing and harnessing this valuable knowledge is one of the key objectives of this unique business learning network."
"IBM founded this network of like-minded global companies because we know that quality corporate citizenship and responsible social engagement is an important part of the long term economic value of a company and that it must be managed with the same seriousness of purpose as any other core element of the business," said Stanley Litow, Vice President of Corporate Community Relations at IBM. "By bringing together some of the most well-known, well-respected global corporations to study these questions, we believe we can, as a group, lead by example and have a profound impact on the way all major corporations think about and manage corporate citizenship."
Directed by The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College and AccountAbility, with support from the Ford Foundation and each participating company, this three-year research project will focus on how these companies balance the pressures for profitability against the demands to be responsive to broader societal needs.
This will be achieved by exploring how they:
Preliminary findings from the research are expected in early 2005.
About The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College:
The Center is a membership-based research organization and is committed to helping business leverage its social, economic and human assets to ensure both its success and a more just and sustainable world. As a leading resource on corporate citizenship, The Center works with global corporations to help them define, plan and operationalize their corporate citizenship. Through the power of research, executive education and the insights of its 350 corporate members, The Center creates knowledge, value and demand for corporate citizenship. For more information visit The Center's web site at: www.bc.edu/corporatecitizenship.
About AccountAbility:
AccountAbility's mission is to promote accountability for sustainable development. As a leading international professional institute, AccountAbility provides effective assurance and accountability management tools and standards through its AA1000 Series, offers professional development and certification, and undertakes leading-edge research and related public policy advocacy. AccountAbility has embraced an innovative, multi-stakeholder governance model, enabling the direct participation of its organizational and individual members who span business, civil society organizations, and the public sector from different countries across the world. For more information visit: www.accountability.org.uk.
About The Global Leadership Network Steering Committee:
IBM: www.ibm.com
General Electric: www.ge.com
FedEx: www.fedex.com
Cargill: www.cargill.com
3M: www.3m.com
Diageo: www.diageo.com
Omron: www.omron.com
Manpower: www.manpower.com
General Motors: www.gm.com
Center for Corporate Citizenship
Center for Corporate Citizenship
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