Communicating Corporate Responsibility

Kingsmill - toast well done

2009-06-27T06:46:00.000-07:00

Kingsmill has become the first UK bread brand to include the Carbon Trust’s Carbon Reduction label on its packaging. I'm not sure if consumers will understand but this could be the start of a battle in the sector for openness and environmental credibility. You can read the background on the Kingsmill website.

On the button - and I don't mean Formula One

2009-06-21T09:41:00.000-07:00

Mallen Baker has a great post on his blog - Who's reading your online CSR report? It is quite remarkable that given that stakeholder feedback is the holy grail of CSR reporting that some clients lack a basic understanding or interest about the people reading their on-line reports. Worse still they spend a great deal of time and money without any thought to how they can measure effectiveness -easy with an on-line report, almost impossible with a printed report. Our clients, even fledgling reporters, are really embracing this stuff and we are actively encouraging them to track activity to measure the effectiveness of their reports. It must make sense, surely?

Joined up thinking from M&S

2009-06-12T00:42:00.000-07:00

This week Marks & Spencer is launching a national advertising campaign supporting its £200m ethical Plan A. This coincides nicely with the launch of its new ‘How we do business’ report. Read the report here. The national campaign, called "Doing the Right Thing", starts this weekend with a "manifesto" press ad outlining the key points of its ethical trading initiative. The campaign hits halfway through the M&S five-year plan. There’s a interesting report on the campaign in The Guardian.

UPDATE - quite interesting to see that M&S took one double page spread plus another three full page ads in The Sunday Times (14 June) to get their message across and meanwhile over in The Independent on Sunday there's a discussion on how companies are cutting back on CR - obviously some businesses understand this stuff and the BP's and Shell's in this world just jump on the bandwagon when times are good.

Vodafone's new report

2009-06-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Another top reporter, Vodafone, has published its CR report for 2009. The theme this year is 'Mobilising development' and demonstrates the challenges of managing responsibility in emerging markets. You can read the full report here at Vodafone.com

Good and bad use of illustration

2009-06-10T09:50:00.000-07:00

Two major reports recently published take an illustrative approach to support the narrative. Done well, illustration is a great way to communicate complex information - Tesco's report is testimony to this. I think illustration used in a superficial way really undermines the quality of content. Here's a good example where poor illustration doesn't help one of the most lauded reports around - BT!

Spiderman meets CR

2009-06-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

RWE npower has launched its new 2008 CR report. To quote the words of Stan Lee, creator of Spiderman, as the title of your CR report does sound a bit obvious in this case. Still, it is a web based report!! The actual narrative is 'With great power, there must also come great responsibility" featured in Amazing Fantasy the first Spiderman story. See the full RWE npower report here

Social Media and CR - The future?

2009-06-01T13:20:00.000-07:00

I discovered an interesting report from Suzanne Fallender at Intel on how social media
is starting to permeate CR communications. It also links to Intel's latest CR report.

Addleshaw Goddard

2009-05-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

Here's a really cool corporate responsibility microsite for law firm Addleshaw Goddard.
I can't believe I've not discovered this site before - its really well thought out, easily navigated and most importantly, well managed. It shows how the company has actively embraced CR and embedded the whole concept in everything it does particularly employee engagement and volunteering. The site is really content rich including video diaries, photo libraries and stories of volunteering and fundraising. The thing I like the most is how the company has perfectly aligned its CR program with its core business in addressing issues of social Inclusion and access to justice.

SEGRO's new report goes live

2009-05-12T07:36:00.000-07:00

BP's un-happy birthday message

2009-05-11T05:19:00.001-07:00

Oil and gas giant BP is branded “senile” by environmental group Greenpeace in a new high profile advertising campaign launched this week. BP, celebrating its 100th anniversary, is being criticised for being involved in controversial tar sands projects in Canada.

Diageo

2008-09-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

Interestingly the new Diageo Corporate Citizenship Report has just been published. Diageo has a long and respected history in corporate responsibility reporting pre-dating the existing company when the business was Grand Metropolitan. CR is challenging area for companies like Diageo (they own 150 of the worlds most famous alcohol based brands) who have to demonstrate how they balance high visibility marketing with promoting responsible drinking. I love the cover shot.