NEWS SUMMARY: 11/13-11/20
Last week, in CSR news:
Perhaps because the buying season precedes the giving season, everyone seems to be writing about consumer habits – first, an extensive report by the World Wildlife Foundation (“Let Them Eat Cake”) proclaims a new surge of interest in responsible brands. Then the New York Times discusses how retailers are tying an increasing variety of products (“Candles, Jeans and Lipstick,” 11/13/06) to social marketing campaigns, and donating a share of product profits to charity. Looking at how consumers say they intend to spend their money, Boston-based Cone Communications finds that “Holiday Shoppers Want Businesses to Help Them Do Good” (SocialFunds.com, 11/13/06).
Grocery-store purchases are showing a trend toward ethical consumerism, as “PepsiCo Launches Products at Whole Foods” (Associated Press, 11/13/06) to reach consumers interested in health and organics, and Fair Trade is launching Oké Banana in theUS USA, 11/14/06)
The past week has also seen a couple of articles with interesting critiques of the CSR field. In particular, a New York Times piece questions the effectiveness of a field that has become a “safe space” for businesses rather than a vehicle for fundamental change to the system in which they operate (“The Paradoxes of Business as Do-Gooders,” 11/11/06). The second proclaims that the CSR movement is a political tool of the Progressive Left, and has become a bigger threat since the recent elections – making the business sector a “trojan horse” through which to implement policies that voters rejected at the ballot box (see “CSR and the Democratic Takeover,” Townhall.com 11/17/06).
Finally, the trend toward hybrid models of business and philanthropy is getting noticed, in particular through an in-depth article in the New York Times called “What’s Wrong with Profit?” (11/13/06); the Wall Street Journal covers a case in point – a bank that invests in ventures that aid the environment (see “Business Technology: New Resource Bank…” 11/14/06) .
Perhaps because the buying season precedes the giving season, everyone seems to be writing about consumer habits – first, an extensive report by the World Wildlife Foundation (“Let Them Eat Cake”) proclaims a new surge of interest in responsible brands. Then the New York Times discusses how retailers are tying an increasing variety of products (“Candles, Jeans and Lipstick,” 11/13/06) to social marketing campaigns, and donating a share of product profits to charity. Looking at how consumers say they intend to spend their money, Boston-based Cone Communications finds that “
Grocery-store purchases are showing a trend toward ethical consumerism, as “PepsiCo Launches Products at Whole Foods” (Associated Press, 11/13/06) to reach consumers interested in health and organics, and Fair Trade is launching Oké Banana in the
The past week has also seen a couple of articles with interesting critiques of the CSR field. In particular, a New York Times piece questions the effectiveness of a field that has become a “safe space” for businesses rather than a vehicle for fundamental change to the system in which they operate (“The Paradoxes of Business as Do-Gooders,” 11/11/06). The second proclaims that the CSR movement is a political tool of the Progressive Left, and has become a bigger threat since the recent elections – making the business sector a “trojan horse” through which to implement policies that voters rejected at the ballot box (see “CSR and the Democratic Takeover,” Townhall.com 11/17/06).
Finally, the trend toward hybrid models of business and philanthropy is getting noticed, in particular through an in-depth article in the New York Times called “What’s Wrong with Profit?” (11/13/06); the Wall Street Journal covers a case in point – a bank that invests in ventures that aid the environment (see “Business Technology: New Resource Bank…” 11/14/06) .
posted by Melissa Paschall at 11/21/2006 10:59:00 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home