We want to work for the good guys

Graduates seek out socially responsible companies as employers, according to PWC research.

In a study of 2739 graduates from China, USA and UK published by PWC earlier this week, 86.9% of all the graduates questioned said that they actively seek out employers whose corporate social responsibility behavior reflects their own. 90% of the graduates from the USA agreed to this statement compared to 87.2% in China and 71% in the UK. The graduates were questioned as part of a larger study about their expectations of work and careers.

Employees and prospective employees are some of the most important audiences for sustainability reports. People want to work for companies that share the same values as they do. Although there have never been more people on earth as there are now, all reports say that finding and keeping great staff have never been harder.

There is a category in the GRI Readers Choice Awards for best report from the perspective of employees. Get online and score your employers report today!

Source: 'Managing Tomorrow’s People: The Future of Work to 2020’

Everyday Americans waking up to corporate responsibility?

One of the major critiques of the corporate responsibility movement is that the average person on the street just doesn't really care about companies commitment - or lack thereof - to their social and environmental impacts and risks.

However, we (colleagues and I) have been speculating that the mainstreaming of the climate agenda in Western Europe and the USA will (or has?) usher in the broader sustainability agenda - including the role of the corporation - and help bring this to the attention of the everyday person.

The following little survey caught my eye recently which seems to back up this speculation.

Survey: Americans disapprove of companies performance on CSR

A majority of Americans from all sides of the political spectrum have said that they would look towards legislators to correct poor CSR performance by US businesses, according to a recent survey. 96 percent of Democrats, 80 percent of Independents, and 65 percent of Republicans say that it is either very or extremely important for Congress to ensure that companies are addressing social issues.

Over three quarters of the respondents to the survey, which was carried out by Fleishman-Hillard and the National Consumers League, said US companies had poor records on CSR, with a big focus on sectors such as energy, food, chemicals and pharmaceuticals as needing more oversight by authorities.

"The generally lukewarm perception of U.S. corporations on socialresponsibility, along with the prevailing belief that Congress may need to get involved, could lead to increased oversight of the private sector on Capitol Hill" said former U.S. Sen. Jim Talent.