What are the failures of CSR and what is the future of the field? That is the question at the core of Dr. Wayne Visser’s new book The Age of Responsibility: CSR 2.0 and the New DNA of Business, the latest among his twelve books. He will address this question, and more, in “Quest for CSR 2.0,” a new blog series co-hosted and co-published by CSRwire and CSR International (the think tank founded and directed by Visser), beginning October 7, 2011.

Pioneering author, academic and social entrepreneur, Visser is also senior associate at the University of Cambridge Programme for Sustainability Leadership and Visiting Professor of Sustainability at Magna Carta College, Oxford. Prior to receiving his PhD in CSR, Visser was director of sustainability services for KPMG and strategy analyst for Cap Gemini in South Africa. In 2011, he was listed as one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Europe and the Middle East by Centre for Sustainability & Excellence and Trust Across America.

“We’re extremely excited to share Dr. Visser’s expertise with our CSRwire community,” said Joe Sibilia, CEO of CSRwire. “His vision for the future of CSR, and his analysis of the past, will no doubt inspire passionate conversation among our community of CSR and sustainability professionals, companies and academics.”

During the next several weeks, Visser will introduce and expand upon key points and lessons from his book, specifically exploring why CSR 1.0 failed, the Five Ages and Stages of CSR, the Five Principles of CSR 2.0 and how to make change happen. Readers are invited to share their views and pose questions on each blog post.

Some of the topics Visser will explore include:

• How the culture of greed undermines all our CSR efforts
• Why philanthropy is in need of serious rethinking
• How many companies are mistaking greenwash & reporting for effective CSR
• Why CSR codes and standards will not solve our biggest problems
• How CSR needs to become a systemic, transformative practice, or die.
• Why innovation is the key to breaking today’s CSR stalemate
• How choice editing is essential to achieving scalable solutions
• Why most companies are failing the stakeholder responsiveness test
• How ‘glocality’ is the only sustainable way forward for business
• Why zero impact goals are becoming not only imperative, but also possible
• How change happens in society and why most organizations fail to change
• Why individuals can only make a difference if they understand what type of change agent they are

Visser believes the most compelling problem today is hiding behind problems, instead of turning them around, making them opportunities for change.

“While companies claim transparency by pointing out past errors or holding others liable for their mistakes, they are not truly implementing effective practices to reverse the damages that have occurred,” he explains. “It comes down to two key words: admission and ambition. We need to admit the extent to which we are capable, and boldly strive to break free of our current complacency with audacious goals.”

To learn more about CSRwire and Visser’s collaboration, visit Talkback and join the conversation. Visser’s first blog post will be on the topic of the “Death of CSR.” He poses the question: Has CSR failed? And if it has, should we kill it off before it misleads and distracts too many people from the changes we really need business to make? Or can we reinvent the concept and the practice of CSR?

About CSR International

CSR International is a think-tank and community of professionals, students and enthusiasts who are deeply concerned about the world’s social and environmental problems and profoundly inspired by the potential of business to contribute to the solutions. We strive to be an incubator for CSR 2.0 inspired, knowledge-based solutions. In addition to publishing monthly research digests and the 53-country World Guide to CSR book, we have developed an online CSR 2.0 Self-Assessment Diagnostic tool and offer training to consultants who wish to become licensed CSR 2.0 Assessors & Advisors. Follow CSR International on www.csrinternational.org, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.

About CSRwire

CSRwire is the leading global source of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability news. Founded in 1999 to advance the movement towards a more economically-just and environmentally-sustainable society and away from single bottom line capitalism, CSRwire has paved the way for new standards of corporate citizenship, earning the international respect of thought leaders, business leaders, academics, philanthropists, activists and the media community. Follow CSRwire on CSRwire.com, Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.

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