In This Issue:

President's Message

CBSR in the News

Members in the News

CBSR News

Member News

Seeing Is Believing

Trends & Issues

Upcoming CSR Conferences

Recommended Readings

A Final Note

CBSR is a non-profit CSR consultancy and peer-to-peer learning organization with over 13 years of CSR experience. Our membership represents over $350 billion in gross annual revenues.

Did you know?

CBSR reviews dozens of CSR reports on a regular basis and we served on the judging panel of the 2005 ACCA - Ceres North American reporting awards.

GoodCompany 
A Quarterly CSR Newsletter                                                  March 2008

   President's Message

Dear Reader,

About ten years ago, I gave a speech to 100 business executives in Calgary and began with the line "We are living in a dying world."  You could have cut the air with a knife.  No one quite knew what to make of my proselytizing and as is customary with these kinds of painful experiences, I learned a few lessons. I learned that it is just as important to name the "elephant in the room" as it is to know your audience and adjust accordingly.

I've been thinking about this quite a bit recently, particularly since returning from the UK where I attended a number of meetings and conferences on the topic of business action on climate change. What I saw there and have not yet seen in Canada is that many UK companies have begun to actively engage their customers on the topic of climate change.  According to research undertaken by Marks & Spencer, about 10% of the UK population are passionate and have high expectations that companies will advocate for change; 25% are fully engaged but don't want to compromise on either quality or price; 40% are interested but want to know how their actions are contributing to change and the final 25% weren't interested at all.  Based on this research, the company has begun a massive education campaign aimed at its 16 million customers to demonstrate how customer and company actions together are contributing to substantial reductions in GHG emissions.

The message from Marks & Spencer and other leading companies at the conferences was that you have to make it easy for the customer to make the right choice for the environment and society, while making it difficult to make the wrong choice.

Of course, engaging customers on climate change and other Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) issues requires companies to actively engage on these issues, rather than just manage them. Companies have to listen to customer needs and to respond to their concerns. IBM recently released a study titled "Attaining sustainable growth through corporate social responsibility". This study surveyed over 250 business leaders world-wide to gauge how deeply CSR is embedded in the core of the company. The study found that two thirds of these leaders feel they don't understand their customers' CSR concerns very well. This represents a tremendous opportunity for companies to get to know their customers better and to provide products and services that more closely correspond to customer expectations.

While in the UK there was a business imperative to take on a strong communications and engagement campaign, UK retailers had lost a lot of public trust because of food safety issues in the late 1990's, and it took a great deal of leadership, courage and - I am sure -many difficult conversations to reallocate the resources required to execute this kind of campaign. Even as the world faces a possible economic downtown, Stuart Rose, the CEO of Marks & Spencer, assured the conference audience that the company will remain committed to its Plan A because he knows that it's a winning strategy that engages customers and makes the right choice clear and easy. We're beginning to see a bit of this in Canada as has been documented in resources such as CBSR's 'The Climate Change Guide: Responsible Business Action for Corporate Canada'. This provides a stepping stone and is readily available from our website to ensure solid practical help is available for businesses. However, Canadian case studies and resources are not yet nearly as actively available or widely promoted as we are seeing in other areas of the Globe.  I hope we start to see a shift toward greater connection between product and service lines and consumer choice.

Adine Mees
President and CEO

CBSR in the News

The Globe & Mail: It's time for provinces to follow B.C. on greenhouse gas emissions By Judith Maxwell  March/12/2008         

The Globe & Mail recently published an informative overview of Climate Change and Canada's reaction via provincial energy policies such as taxing polluters and changing the behaviour of consumers is no easy task. CBSR's Adine Mees notes that consumers have yet to put their money to use towards their climate change goals - there seems to be a disconnect in the understanding of behaviour and GHG emissions. The BC government's carbon tax does three things to help the process along... To read the full article click here

Green Business: Summit tackles business response to climate change strategies  January/2008 Issue

This article provides a succinct overview of some of the themes discussed in CBSR's 5th Annual Summit held in Toronto November/7/2007. To read the full article click here (page 14).

Members News

2008 Global 100 Most Sustainable Companies in the World

The results of the third annual "Global 100 Most Sustainable Companies in the World" have been released in January at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. CBSR members Nexen Inc., RBC Financial Group and TransCanada Corporation were all awarded a spot on the 2008 list. This is the fourth time that RBC Financial Group is included in this prestigious ranking and second year for TransCanada Corporation. Nexen Inc. has made its first appearance on the list this year - congratulations to all!   To see the listing (by country) and for more information click here

The Conference Board of Canada's Governance Awards

Congratulations to all of the following 2008 Conference Board of Canada's Corporate Governance Awards recipients:

Private Sector Winner: RBC Financial Group Innovation Topic: Corporate Performance Management

Private Sector Top Contender: Potash Corp Innovation Topic: Executive Compensation

Not-For-Profit Sector and Overall Conference Winner: Mountain Equipment Co-Op Innovation Topic: Sustainability Strategy, for Short-And Long-Term Success

To read about the innovative work of this year's winners click here

IMAGINE Canada's 2007 Business and Community Partnership Award Winners

Drive Away Hunger
Drive Away Hunger raises awareness about rural hunger issues, and collects food in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island. It started as an idea of a Farm Credit Canada employee, who decided to drive a tractor across mid-western Ontario to fight hunger in his own community. In 2006, Drive Away Hunger collected more than 400,000 pounds of food, and enjoyed the support of more than 100 employee volunteers. For more information click here 

Leadership Richmond
This collaborative initiative is designed to harness local leadership potential by training young adults to serve as board members for non profit organizations. With the support of Coast Capital Savings, Leadership Richmond has grown to also promote employer-assisted volunteering, helping organizations benefit from the skills and experience of volunteers aged 50+, and building community capacity by delivering workshops, conferences and volunteer management training.  For more information click here        

Bullfrog Power Helps BMO Financial Group Go Green

As part of its commitment to sustainable development, BMO Financial Group has purchased over 5,000 MWh of green power from Bullfrog Power. Bullfrog provides homes and businesses in Ontario and Alberta with an easy way to go green and help create a cleaner, healthier environment for future generations. Bullfrog sources power exclusively from EcoLogo-certified wind and low-impact water power generators. "Companies like ours have a responsibility to take a leadership role in the fight against climate change," said Bill Downe, President and CEO, BMO Financial Group.  "This means that we must adopt and integrate environmental best practices into everything we do." 

CBSR News

CBSR Welcomes New Members

CBSR is pleased to have CAA South Central Ontario and Excellon Resources Inc. join our growing membership.

Conversation with a CSR Expert: Responsible Consumption
March/25/2008: Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver

CBSR will host member companies in a video-conference CSR Expert Series event on Responsible Consumption featuring Gill Deacon and Denise Taschereau. The conversation will explore the role of Canadian business in responsible consumption: identifying and adapting to new customer demands, business challenges and opportunities. For more information contact Meirav Even-Har at: meirav@cbsr.ca

CBSR would like to thank Allstream for their generous provision of video conferencing facilities and refreshments.

The CSR Expert Series is an ongoing learning and networking program provided to CBSR members.

CBSR is Hiring!

To see current postings please visit our website or click here.

CBSR's Seeing Is Believing Program

BC Hydro Hosts Seeing is Believing Tour          

On November/21/2007, Bob Elton President & CEO of BC Hydro brought together senior executives from CBSR members Accenture, Citizen's Bank of Canada, DDB Canada, Telus and others for a Seeing is Believing tour focused on issues pertaining to children and youth.  Participants visited a short-term care facility for children with disabilities (Easter Seal house), a community garden managed by at-risk youth (Environmental Youth Alliance), and a construction site for low-cost housing (Habitat for Humanity). 

At each stop, participants experienced first-hand the impact that these organizations have made on the lives of children and families and were challenged to think of how they can leverage their business strengths and personal acumen to make a difference in the community.  The tour was successful in going beyond the bounds of traditional philanthropy, securing a new roof for Habitat for Humanity thanks to a generous partnership between Citizens Bank of Canada and The Salient Group resulting in a potential urban-agriculture contract for the Environmental Youth Alliance through Metro Vancouver.                          

For more information on Seeing is Believing, please contact Annastasia Palubiski, Seeing is Believing Coordinator at annastasia@cbsr.ca or +1 604 323 2714.

Coast Capital Savings leads Report-back delegation to

London 

On January 30 2008, Lloyd Craig, President & CEO of Coast Capital Savings Credit Union led a Canadian delegation to London to report-back on the success of the Seeing is Believing program to HRH The Prince of Wales. Joining Mr. Craig on the London trip were Rupert Duchesne, President & CEO of Aeroplan and John Lahey, President & CEO of Alterna Savings. The delegates attended a half-day conference where business leaders from across Europe and the U.K. shared their experience in addressing challenging social issues like homelessness and unemployment. 

The Prince took a keen interest in the progress of the Seeing is Believing program in Canada, making an effort to speak exclusively with the Canadian delegation at the end of the conference. Said Mr. Craig: "My impression of the Prince is that he's very committed and has a strong desire to improve Britain.  He's a firm believer in the partnership model of business, NGOs and community coming together to enrich society. They've done a great job with the Seeing is Believing program in the U.K. and now it's our job to expand on that." CBSR plans to take the Seeing is Believing program nation-wide in 2008. 

For more information please contact Annastasia Palubiski, Seeing is Believing Coordinator at annastasia@cbsr.ca or +1 604 323 2714.

[Seeing Is Believing In The News...]

Seeing Is Believing: local exec meets Prince Charles          Surrey Now, Feb/22/2008  By: Maria Babic  

"Cutting a cheque for a worthy cause is easy. Rolling up your sleeves and working to find solutions to help the city's drug addicts and homeless takes a lot more dedication, passion and drive. Lloyd Craig, President and CEO of Coast Capital Savings, is one executive who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty..."    To read the full article, click here

Climate Change  

Report Watch: Climate Change Guide Addresses Risks and Opportunities  Research Network for Business Sustainability (Issue 5)

With so much information on climate change in the news, conferences and literature it may be difficult to sift through all that is out there. The Research Network for Business Responsibility provides a quick review of climate change reports - one conducted by CBSR member Globescan which includes information obtained from 22,000 people in 21 countries on their opinion of climate change and the financial costs associated with carbon reduction. The other report  reviewed is CBSR's own Climate Change Guide first launched in 2007 during the Summit and is now updated. For more information follow this link to the March/2008 issue of the newsletter.

The Climate Change Guide: Al Gore applauds CBSR's efforts in responsible business action on climate

CBSR is pleased to announce increased availability of hardcopies of its hallmark publication 'The Climate Change Guide', following popular demand.  Since its initial release in November 2007, the Guide has been distributed across CBSR's member-base and beyond, receiving positive feedback from federal and provincial governments, academia, NGOs and, a key mover behind the climate movement, former US Vice President Al Gore!

The Climate Change Guide was developed in response to demand for balanced and basic information on climate change from CBSR's member-base. The Guide provides a functional, step-by-step approach to identifying and managing responsibilities, opportunities and risks related to climate change for Canadian businesses.

Developed in partnership with Westport Innovations, The Climate Change Guide presents a uniquely Canadian-focused practitioners' guide to managing the transition to a low carbon economy. It includes real-life corporate case studies to equip practitioners with the tools they need to address climate change.

Hard copies of The Climate Change Guide are available to order at a cost of $35 each incorporating: Forest Stewardship Council certified stock, footprint calculation and carbon offsetting. For more information please contact Mel Phadtare, Senior Programs Manager at mel@cbsr.ca or +1 604 323 2714.

2^nd Annual Social Responsibility Forum: Why Doing Good Is Good For Business April/15/2008 Toronto Strategy Magazine

Doing good is good for business if your employees, stakeholders and consumers know about your good works. That's where the Social Responsibility Forum comes in. The Social Responsibility Forum will give you a global perspective on these and many other questions. In the process, it will help you build a roadmap for the future of your business and a marketing plan that will guarantee success.

CBSR members receive $200 off the registration fee. To register click here 

For more information on conference program, session and speakers please click here

National CSR Conference: Performance, Accountability and Engagement   May/20-21/2008 Toronto Conference Board of Canada

With issues such as human rights, climate change and energy use influencing corporate strategy, investment, and employee relations, sophisticated CSR solutions are required to provide long-term, measurable results. The National CSR Conference will focus on how to increase the internal and external impact and effectiveness of CSR.

CBSR receive the preferred rate of $1,415 to attend - that is a savings of $300! Simply quote priority code CBSR when you register to take advantage of our special rate. To register and for more information click here

Business Leader's Seminar                                                    June/2-5/2008 The Sustainable Enterprise Academy

This Seminar offers senior executives a unique combination of insight into trends, drivers and opportunities for sustainable business along with business models, tools, strategies and change management techniques for transforming businesses into sustainable and profitable corporations. Experts in their respective fields will guide participants through interactive sessions that allow individuals to explore sustainability issues that are relevant to them and their company. For full agenda details and registration click here

Recommended Readings

CSR Trends 2007 by Craib Design & Communications                                

The 2007 CSR Reporting trends includes benchmarks and best practices from a wide variety of Canadian, American, European and Australian reports. This helpful guide provides a review of the various components of CSR reports from cover design to the "meat and bones" in an easily referenced format. To read the report click here 

Leadership & the Corporate Sustainability Challenge: Minds In Action  by Cynthia McEwen and John Schmidt of Avaston Consulting

This report discusses the drivers behind corporate sustainability success as it examines four themes - Gearing Up; Foundations for Success; Bridging the Gap and Accelerating the Up-Shifts - used in a study of 10 global scale companies from varied industries. The objective is to find what makes corporations engaged in sustainability and how it can be integrated into corporate culture; correct mindset is both a powerful tool and objective. The authors write: "The necessary ingredient for powering positive change can be found in leaders of global organizations and their willingness to expand and embrace new realities." To read the report click here

IBM Global Business Services: Attaining Sustainable Growth Through Corporate Social Responsibility                                    by George Pohle & Jeff Hittner

This study examines business leaders' actions and expectations when it comes to CSR, and how it is incorporated into their corporate agenda. Although it seems that "leaders are beginning to see CSR as a sustainable growth strategy"... 76% of those surveyed admitted they do not comprehend their customers' CSR expectations. The study's aim was to measure the depth of CSR in corporate culture, companies' strategies and operations. To read the report click here        

State of Green Business                                                               by Joel Makower & the editors of GreenBiz.com

The State of Green Business 2008 examines the progress made by companies in their integration of "environmental thinking into their operation in ways that align with core business strategy and bottom-line goals" writes the author. What is the rate of such environmental integration into everyday business? How is it done? And furthermore, how does it all benefit the environment, if at all? The report is divided into Top Stories of 2007 and GreenBiz Index which makes it an easy reference guide providing the reader with a summary of 2007 trends and a visual progress list in the Index. From the automobile industry to hi tech to real estate "green business has shifted from a movement to a market... but there is much, much more to do". Note to reader: this is a US industry focused report.  To read the report click here

On the Margins of Profit: Rights at Risk in the Global Economy

"A common global approach is needed to consistently protect human rights in the face of business-related abuses and promote conduct by companies that respects and advances human rights". On the Margins of Profit is the culmination of 10 years of research by Human Rights Watch, which includes case studies of business-related abuses and various obstacles victims face in seeking retribution. It is the outcome of a project by the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) at New York University School of Law and Human Rights Watch. This report brings to light the importance of corporate accountability for overseas operations, and the need for dialogue on what businesses are doing to affect positive change. To read the report click here                                                                                          

For more information visit www.cbsr.ca