Corporate Sustainability Leaders

In the world of corporate responsibility, CSR has become a “buzzword” and is becoming part of many industries, mining and exploration included.  CSR, is alternatively known as being a “good corporate citizen” or paying attention to the triple-bottom line of “people, planet, profit.”

This year DNV Two Tomorrows conducted its 9th annual global research of corporate responsibility best practices using the Tomorrow's Value criteria, a research tool designed to answer "Who are the CSR leaders?' question.  It looked at best practices in the 25 largest companies by revenue in the Americas, Europe and Asia and 19 Dow Jones Sustainability Index supersector leaders from 2011. 

Who are the leaders in CSR?  Typically consumer brands and technology companies gain much of our attention and create a lot of hype surrounding their marketing campaigns.  They are creating important approaches that will revolutionize the way we do business. 

Outside of these limelight sectors is another category, industries with historically risky, messy and challenging operations - petroleum, mining, heavy manufacturing.  Although rarely seen as models of sustainability, many have pioneered leadership in some of the most important areas of corporate responsibility.  These systems are not perfect, and when they fail, consequences can be disastrous and fatal.  But it is this risk that has driven such leading edge practices. 

 
Overall, companies are learning that there are some practical and profitable applications by focusing on protecting the environment, being proactive regarding health and safety of employees, or working with indigenous and local populations beyond what is required by government regulations.

What do you see as the future trends for CSR?