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October 1, 2010June 16, 2012

The Age of Responsibility

The Age of Responsibility:

CSR 2.0 and the New DNA of Business

Paper by Wayne Visser

Abstract

This paper argues that CSR, as a business, governance and ethics system, has failed. This assumes that success or failure is measured in terms of the net impact (positive or negative) of business on society and the environment. The paper contends that a different kind of CSR is needed if we are to reverse the current direction of many of the world’s most pressing social, environmental and ethical trends. The first part of the paper reviews business’s historical progress over the Ages and Stages of CSR: moving through the Ages of Greed, Philanthropy, Marketing and Management, using defensive, charitable, promotional and strategic CSR approaches respectively. The second part of the paper examines the Three Curses of Modern CSR (incremental, peripheral and uneconomic), before exploring what CSR might look like in an emerging Age of Responsibility. This new CSR – called systemic or radical CSR, or CSR 2.0 – is based on five principles (creativity, scalability, responsiveness, glocality and circularity) and forms the basis for a new DNA model of responsible business, built around the four elements of value creation, good governance, societal contribution and environmental integrity.

Taking Stock on CSR

It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities – Josiah Charles Stamp

My starting point for any discussion on CSR – by which I mean corporate sustainability and responsibility, but choose whichever label you prefer (corporate social responsibility, corporate citizenship, sustainability, business ethics) – my starting point is to admit that CSR has failed. The logic is simple and compelling. A doctor judges his/her success by whether the patient is getting better (healthier) or worse (sicker). Similarly, we should judge the success of CSR by whether our communities and ecosystems are getting better or worse. And while at the micro level – in terms of specific CSR projects and practices – we can show many improvements, at the macro level almost every indicator of our social, environmental and ethical health is in decline.

I am not alone in my assessment or conclusion. Paul Hawken stated in The Ecology of Commerce (1994) that ‘if every company on the planet were to adopt the best environmental practice of the “leading” companies, the world would still be moving toward sure degradation and collapse.’ Unfortunately, this is still true. Jeffrey Hollender, founder and CEO of Seventh Generation, agrees, saying: ‘I believe that the vast majority of companies fail to be “good” corporate citizens, Seventh Generation included. Most sustainability and corporate responsibility programs are about being less bad rather than good. They are about selective and compartmentalized “programs” rather than holistic and systemic change’ (Hollender & Breen, 2010).

In fact, there are no shortage of critics of CSR. Christian Aid (2004) issued a report called ‘Behind the Mask: The Real Face of CSR’, in which they argued that ‘CSR is a completely inadequate response to the sometimes devastating impact that multinational companies can have in an ever-more globalised world – and it is actually used to mask that impact.’ A more recent example is …

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Cite this article

Visser, W. (2010) CSR 2.0 and the New DNA of Business, Journal of Business Systems, Governance and Ethics, Vol. 5, No. 3, p. 7, 2010. Also published on SSRN at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1725159

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August 18, 2010June 22, 2012

Costa Rica 2010 Notes

I am in Costa Rica now, or I should say San Jose. I immediately feel comfortable here, and I am trying to figure out why. Partly, it must be that I just love the tropics – the lush vegetation and colourful wildlife. And somehow that ‘pura vida’ (pure life) rubs off on the people, who are friendly and helpful. Another reason must be that this country and this city wears its colours on its sleeve. By that I mean that there is art everywhere – on the walls as murals, in painted tiles, and with the vibrant rainbow textiles.

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August 15, 2010June 22, 2012

Panama 2011 Notes

15 August 2010

I am on the bus, having just crossed the border into Costa Rica, a process that took about 3 hours. Apart from queuing in the dark until the border opened, and the usual passport checking, each bag had to be individually checked by hand (twice!). We also had a dog sniffing for drugs. Hardly surprising really, in this part of the world.

Now let me tell you about my tour yesterday. We visited both sets of locks on the Pacific ocean side. I suppose what I didn’t realise was how long the canal is – around 50 miles. It links a natural lake with the coasts. To take advantage of the lake, the locks raise the ships about 26 metres. It takes 22 hours to transverse the canal, and only Panamese pilots can do the navigation. The idea for the canal was first proposed by a Spanish king in the 1500s, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that the French began construction.

Mostly, the labour was brought in from the West Indies and many thousands died of tropical diseases. The Americans took over after the French gave up, from about 1903 until it was completed in 1914. It was then owned and operated by the Americans until a revolution (by students) in the 1960s, after which there was a sharing arrangement. However, it was only in 1999 that the Americans finally gave the canal back to the Panamanians. As far as i can tell, this is when the country started to prosper, and probably accounts for all the ‘bamboo-like’ apartment blocks and hotels that have shot up.

There are a few things I grew to love about Panama in my short time there. It is such a colourful culture. For example, lots of the public benches are painted with bright scenes by the school kids. And then there are the psychedelic public buses, each unique and painted with fantasy and superhero montages (dragons, knights, cartoons, etc.). Some of these turn into disco buses at night, with flashing lights and music pumping. It made me laugh, seeing all these people dancing in the aisles (and no, I didn’t get on one!). What else? Ah yes, fresh mango slices with salt, pepper and vinegar. Yumm!

Looking out the window now, we are unmistakably in the tropics, a green mosaic of palm plantations and natural forests – my kind of paradise (except for the things that buzz and bite! I saw some humongous specimens at the Panama Canal museum yesterday).

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July 31, 2010June 22, 2012

Brazil 2010 Notes

31 July 2010

I am loving being in Rio. I guess it has to do with the warm weather, the beach and the surrounding mountains. It all feels more natural and relaxed. I can see why it has a reputation for ‘fun in the sun’. I write this from the botanical gardens. They are a real oasis of green and shade. I walked this morning from the hostel and around the lagoon (Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas), as far as the gardens. The path around the lagoon (which is more like a lake) is about 7.5 kms and a great favourite for walkers, joggers, bikers and skaters.

The amazing thing about Rio is that almost wherever you are, there is the backdrop of the giant stone edifices that are the mountains surrounding and interspersing the city. Often, there is also the sight of water, beaches and forests. That is not to say there is a shortage of concrete. This is a city of about 9 million people. But the buildings and the people are embedded in natural beautiful surroundings. The Tijuca Forest, of which the Botanical Gardens form a part, and which extend to the top of the Christ mountain, is the largest urban forest in the world.

The other thing I’ve noticed is that people don’t hassle or hustle you. There are a few hawkers and traders on the streets and beaches, but they are very passive. I’m sure I’m imposing stereotypes, but it feels like everyone just ‘gets’ that there’s more to life than work and money. Of course, Brazil has had at least a decade of strong economic growth, so I’m sure that helps. I’m also sure that the millions who still live in favelas are far from content, even if things are improving.

The cafes here are also interesting. First, there are more juice bars than coffee shops, which makes sense in a place where the temperature seldom drops below 15 degrees. But also, the cafes are so unpretentious – scruffy even. Just small holes in the wall and plastic chairs on the pavements. It’s almost as if the important thing is the people, the company and the food/drink, not the trappings.

I should mention that I am competing with buzzing things for my drink, which is called Guarana Antarctica, a classic soda in Brazil made from berries from the Amazon. There is certainly no shortage of buzzing, biting things in Rio, and it must be worse the closer to the tropics and the rainforest you get. Yesterday’s tour was breathtaking. I count myself so fortunate to have the opportunity to see such beautiful places in the world.

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July 12, 2010June 23, 2012

Argentina 2010 Notes

12 July 2010

Having arrived and settled into my accommodation in Buenos Aires, I walked for 4 or 5 hours around the city. It is a massive city, quite built up and busy. However, the pedestrianised areas are nice, with little shops and traders. I managed to find an artist that paints tango dancers, so I bought a painting. Speaking of tango, I plan to go to a show on Saturday. This is, after all, the home of Argentinian tango.

Yesterday, of course, I watched the World Cup Final. In the end, I decided to watch it on a giant public screen in the city centre and, as expected, the atmosphere was fantastic. Most were Spanish supporters and I got some great photos of their flag-waving celebrations; even a guy in red tights! So now it is over for another 4 years. I am so proud that South Africa managed to pull it off with any major incidents or problems.

I discovered some great sculptures yesterday, including a massive flower, which is maybe 3 storeys high. I might try to sketch it sometime over the next 2 weeks. Even the hostel has some creative inspiration. There reception desk is made from a green scooter!

19 July 2010

I am having a latte before my tour bus of the city leaves in an hour. It’s been a busy few days with workshops and talks on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. One of the highlights outside of work has been visiting a place called Caminito. It was always a poor area, with houses mostly made of corrugated iron, near the city docks. Then about 10 years ago, some entrepreneurs decided to celebrate the diversity and lively culture of the place, so they opened restaurants and markets and played music on the streets.

Now it is a bit of a tourist destination but, like Camden in London, retains its vibrancy. The houses and restaurants are painted all different bright colours because originally people painted their houses with whatever paint was left over from painting the ships.

At one stage, the government wanted to build big walls to block off this emerging tourist spot from the surrounding poor houses, but one of the restaurant owners (of El Paraiso, which I’d definitely recommend for a meal) managed to stop them, saying it was part of the story and the charm. Besides, local artists could paint murals on the walls of the surrounding houses. It’s a great story of social enterprise and urban renewal.

I am on my way out to do an interview for a magazine, so I will end off here.

23 July 2010

This is my last night in Argentina. I am just back from a radio interview. I have had a great visit in Buenos Aires – busier than expected, but that’s a good thing.

There is a nice vibrancy about the city, especially in some of the restaurant hotspots. (Eeek! I just ordered ‘limonade’, which thought was lemonade and it turns out it is pure lemon juice!).

Anyway, as I was saying, I think B.A. is good for socialites and night life. I am a little sorry I couldn’t travel out of the city, either to Patagonia in the south, with its glaciers or the forests and waterfalls in the north.

What else can I tell you about Argentina? If it’s not red and bleeding, they don’t eat it! Not really a place for vegetarians.

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June 26, 2010June 23, 2012

Chile 2010 Notes

26 June 2010

I am staying at La Casa Roja hostel in Santiago. I took a little walk around the neighbourhood. To be honest, it’s quite run down – lots of graffiti, crumbling buildings and general urban decay. This is most likely a story of poverty rather than neglect. Just a few blocks from the hostel, I saw a man ‘sleeping rough’ on a bench. These are the real homeless and I wince to think of people like him outdoors at night when temperatures are sub-zero.

Tomorrow, after the football, I will take a walk downtown (fortunately we are close). I will probably head for the Arts & Culture Museum, and take it from there. It is my favourite part of any trip – discovering a new city, soaking up the urban delights, practicing a kind of cultural osmosis. I far prefer this slow, partial approach – getting intimate with my local surroundings – rather than rushing around with a ‘must-see, must-do’ tourist checklist.

27 June 2010

I took a walk downtown and discovered a castle – Santa Lucia. It’s on a little hill and has fantastic views of Santiago, including the backdrop of ice-capped mountains. Many photos later, I walked on to the Art Gallery. There were a few unusual sculptures, but not many paintings that grabbed me. The exception was a portrait of a Chinese coal miner. They also had lots of historical photos from the late 1800s, which gave some insight into a bygone, pre-Fordian era. The best one was of a group of kids, each with a different expression on their faces.

After the gallery, I walked to the main city square. By then, the sun was setting and I arrived just in time to witness a religious procession – a few hundred people, most with candles, some with banners of the Virgin Mary, and some in religious robes. The priests leading the march were swinging incense, and somewhere in the middle was an altar with a statue of Jesus. Then bells tolled and hymns played over the speakers of a van set up for the purpose. Everyone joined in singing, including spectators. Quite touching really, even though the religious practices themselves hold no meaning for me anymore.

The cathedral itself is on the square, so I went in and drifted a while in its reverential ambience. The square is also the place for street artists and buskers. Before leaving the square, I went over to listen to a singer who had drawn a bit of a crowd (Precila Guzman; I bought here CD to remember the moment). Some of the people were watching, but most – young and old – were spontaneously dancing. I was almost moved to tears, to see such natural joy, such celebration of life. It is one of the things I love about Latin culture. Music moves them, literally.

05 July 2010

I am staying for a few days in Valdivia with Manfred Max-Neef (“barefoot economist” and author of Human Scale Development). It took us 10 hours to drive from Santiago – very picturesque, especially with the Andes. The city is right on the sea, with a massive river going through it, and the university (of which Manfred was President a few years ago) is on an island.

Valdivia was the site of the worst earthquakes in recorded history in the 1960s (much worse than the one they had in Chile earlier this year, which was bad enough). As a result of all the subsidence (about 3 metres), a lot of the city became a wetland. This attracted all kinds of birdlife, including the rare black-necked swan. Unfortunately, due to pollution, they all died or relocated to other parts. Now, as I look out the window from Manfred’s study, there are 2 garden sculptures of these swans, which he keeps in memory of their brief period of abundance.

We took a brief drive around the campus, which is beautiful; lots of trees. Unfortunately, it is raining, so we can’t go for a walk in the Botanical Gardens. Apparently, a big storm is coming. The office here has a view over the river.

I am once again struck by how local and immediate life is. Collecting experiences is all well and good, but what we are doing now, in this moment, how we are feeling, who we love and are loved by – only these things keep us content and motivated. In a sense, we have to keep on creating the means of our own happiness, as if life is a river in which we always must have an oar in the water if we don’t want to be swept away.

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June 19, 2010June 23, 2012

New Zealand 2010 Notes

19 June 2010

I arrived in Auckland after marathon flights from China to Greece and then to New Zealand. Luckily, the jetlag is not too bad, as the time zone here is not too different from Shanghai, and I wasn’t in Athens long enough to re-adjust to European time. I am staying with family in the quaint village of Howick.

One of my discoveries in Howick was a quaint coffee shop called Cafe Paris. How would I describe it … eclectic! The walls are crammed with an odd, colourful collections of paintings and art – flying pigs, lavender fields, a family at the beach, a musical trio (tuber, whistle and violin) and a Rembrandt/Renoir. Also little ornaments on the sills: tortoises, cats, mice, a hippopotamus, a penguin, a pig, a pelican, horses and a fat lady in a swimming costume. From where I am sitting, I can see 4 mirrors (2 heart-shaped) and 6 clocks! I could go on and on. Very quaint.

I went to a wonderful classical concert the night before leaving for Wellington, featuring the Sibelius violin concerto and Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite, which was simply divine. Before that we drove up to the top of Mount Eden, which is a volcano crater on the edge of Auckland city – you will have seen it on one of the photos; it is all grassed now. In the morning, we took the ferry to Waiheki island, where we walked around the craft markets. It has a real village / hippie feel about it. We also managed to squeeze in a visit to the tranquil Fo Guang Shan Buddhist temple.

At the airport, I found some New Zealand music – a soprano called Kiri Te Kanawa and a modern Maori singer called Maisey Rika, who reminds me a bit of Freshly Ground and Nora Jones.

22 June 2010

I am sitting in the cafe in Te Papa (The People), which is the museum in Wellington. It is an impressive space with some stunning exhibitions, especially of the Maori and islander history, culture and art. Most remarkable of all (for me) are the wood carvings. I think the detail and quality surpass anything I have seen anywhere else, except perhaps Thailand.

Interestingly, the carvings, which are mainly masks, draw a lot of their inspiration and beauty from the tattoo art of the tribes, which is also exquisite. Apart from traditional culture, the museum also tells the story of colonialism. I will copy some of the treaty ‘Her Majesty’ entered into with the Confederation of Tribes. It is so blatantly exploitative as to almost seem like a joke.

25 June 2010

I have had a good day in Christchurch. This morning, I met with Jye Lu, a PhD student in CSR. We found a coffee shop for breakfast, then she showed me around the city, including the Canterbury University campus and the beach. The weather was perfect for sea-photos – overcast but with bright sun reflecting on the waves and shoreline. I managed to get a few photos of the seagulls in flight and reflected on the sand. Jye then took me to a discount store that sells outdoor clothing, so I could buy gloves, a scarf and a beanie, plus a fleece. Now I’m all geared up to face the South American winter!

As I write this diary, I am in Annie’s restaurant, at the Christchurch Arts Centre, sitting next to a log fire. I just had a delicious winter vegetable soup with home-made bread, and now I am sipping a port and scribbling away. The Arts Centre here is quite lovely. It used to be the university campus and all the buildings have an English abbey kind of feel to them. There are numerous galleries and also studios where you can watch the artists at work. One of the most interesting is someone who does ‘stone kinetics’ – essentially photography of male models in various poses with stone sculptures.

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June 12, 2010June 23, 2012

Greece 2010 Notes

12 June 2010

This has been a crazy leg of the trip, but worthwhile. I delivered the keynote address at an inaugural conference on CSR 2.0, hosted by CEO & CSR Money Conference 2010 and sponsored by EuroCharity.

It was nice to be in Athens again. The first time I visited, in the late 1990s, I was in transit with 10 hours to spare, so I rushed around the city, visiting the Acropolis and other historic sites. It was hot, crowded and I wasn’t terribly impressed. One of my most vivid memories was of all the half-starving stray cats in the parks. Of course, I could hardly do the city or country any justice in 10 hours!

The second time I came to Greece, it was for a meeting of the ICCA (the organisation that sponsored The A to Z of CSR book). I was whisked out of Athens to some luxurious coastal part and remember having a bath in my hotel room with a view over the bay. Luxury indeed!

This time is different again, although no less luxurious – I stayed (if arriving at 2 am and checking out the same morning qualifies as ‘stays’) at the 5-star Olympic hotel, which overlooks the historic heart of the city, with views of the Acropolis as well. It is strange to think that Plato or Aristotle could have been in that very place thousands of years ago.

As my colleague, John Elkington, who shared the platform with me at the conference, said to our hosts: ‘Thanks for civilization!’ The conference was in one of the historical buildings right in the centre of Athens’ green lung. Apart from the wonderful cool marble floors and walls, the towering pillars and patterned ceilings were beautiful. Terrible acoustics for a talk (lots of echoes) but a welcome change from the usual plush hotel conference rooms.

Being in Athens again really made me thing about how things have changed in the past 10 years or so. When I came the first time, it was in the lead up to the 2004 Olympics and I remember a conversation with a taxi driver, who was optimistic about the future for Greece. Now, their economy is in tatters and their national pride is severely damaged. They have unwittingly become the ‘canary in the mine’, a warning for the rest of Europe and the world about the consequences of corruption and greed (or are they just a victim of shareholder-driven capitalism?).

How the world turns!

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May 30, 2010June 23, 2012

China 2010 Notes

30 May 2010

Peking University campus – There is a large lake about 5 minutes walk away, where I plan to walk (or maybe even jog!) every day. There are also several sculptures that I am taking pictures of.

I once started a university course in Mandarin. I never got very far, but it is an indication of how long I have been fascinated with Chinese culture, and in love with its written language. To me, the script is like art. The closest thing to a religion that I align myself with these days is Taoism – the ancient Chinese philosophy of harmony and balance. The Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu is poetry and wisdom combined.

I think the West is far too judgemental of China. No doubt, there are some policies that we would find difficult, but what I see is an emerging nation, full of dynamism and progress, including on many social, environmental and ethical issues. Just this morning, I read in the paper that new regulations make evidence obtained under duress inadmissible in court.

There’s a palpable sense here that the only way is up, that the future is all to play for and that a combination of vision, national pride and hard work make all dreams possible. It all seems rather familiar – the same sort of ideals that built the American Dream. The 21st century will be the century of the Chinese Dream.

02 June 2010

One of the things I love about the Chinese is that they value the artistic side of life. And not just paintings and sculptures. They see art in nature. For example, in many temples and palaces, they will simply frame a slab of marble stone with a beautiful pattern, or erect an interesting stone formation as a sculpture, or even just create a window frame with a view onto a tree or garden.

06 June 2010

It is Sunday, my last ‘free’ day before my workshop tomorrow. Last night, it was good to get off the campus and into the city. The underground is excellent – very clear and simple, with constant updates. The trains have electronic maps of the tube lines, where a flashing red dot and a green arrow tell you exactly where you are and the direction you are travelling. And it is ‘cheap as chips’ – about 20p to travel anywhere in the city. Even the taxis are cheap – about £5 to go from the centre to the outskirts of the city (and Beijing is bigger than London).

After a British embassy event choral event, I went on with some friends to the ‘Stone Boat’ bar, a beautiful bar/restaurant in the middle of a park, overlooking a lake and literally on a stone boat. Stone boats are an ancient tradition of the emperors of China. After that, we went to a jazz club with live music, then I took a taxi back to the campus.

It is interesting to see how many Westerners are moving to China – many of them permanently. Clare is English and has been here about 7 years. In our group were also two Americans, one Canadian and a Pakistani. It is testimony, I think, to the fact that China is seen by many as ‘the brave new world’ – the superpower of the future.

I have been very content here in Beijing and I could easily spend a month here, just writing, walking around the lakes and parks and occasionally heading into the city for a change of scenery. There are some amazing buildings downtown, many of which were built in preparation for the 2008 Olympics. From what I can gather, the Olympics had a dramatic positive effect, not only in improving infrastructure and public transport, but also in reducing pollution and opening up to Western ideas.

Tomorrow night, I take the overnight train to Shanghai, sharing a compartment of four. I am looking forward to it. It brings back memories of the two day train my sister and I took a few times from Cape Town to Bulawayo. There is something wonderful about watching the world speeding by outside the window, having time to read, falling asleep to the clickety-clack gentle sway of the train.

10 June 2010

My time in Shanghai and China has been all too brief. There is so much to see and explore that I expect I will keep coming back for the rest of my life, especially given my interest and affinity for the culture.

Yesterday, I did a video interview with Jacylyn Shi, one of my hosts here. We found a quiet park near the venue for my talk to do it. Then it turned out that a man was doing Tai Chi in the background while I was filming – just wonderful! After the interview, we were walking through the park and we saw the Tai Chi man again. So Jacylyn asked him to teach me some Tai Chi moves. She took some photos of me looking very clumsy trying to copy him, but it was an unexpected and delightful experience.

Of course, Shanghai is not only ancient but rapidly turning into one of the most modern cities in the world. Some people say it lacks soul and that it is too commercial – all brands and no substance. But I like it – it’s vibrant and constantly changing.

The Expo was just a glimpse into what is possible in this city now. There were some fabulous buildings and exhibits, even though I only saw about a quarter of the Expo site. It is probably no coincidence that the quietest pavilions were the eco-design ones, while the oil and Cisco (technology) displays were among the most popular. Some, like the China and Saudi pavilions had 7 hour ques! I’m not sure any exhibit is worth such a long wait, but it just shows the excitement and thirst for new experiences among the Chinese. The Expo is getting 500,000 people a day!

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May 12, 2010June 16, 2012

The Rise and Fall of CSR

The Rise and Fall of CSR:

Shapeshifting from CSR 1.0 to CSR 2.0

Paper by Wayne Visser

One of the proposed antidotes to the Age of Greed is corporate social responsibility (CSR), which has been debated and practiced in one form or another for more than 4,000 years. For example, the ancient Vedic and Sutra texts of Hinduism and the Jatakas of Buddhism include ethical admonitions on usury (the charging of excessive interest) and Islam has long advocated Zakat, or a wealth tax.

The modern concept of CSR can be more clearly traced to the mid-to-late 1800s, with industrialists like John H. Patterson of National Cash Register seeding the industrial welfare movement and philanthropists like John D. Rockerfeller setting a charitable precedent that we see echoed more than a hundred years later with the likes of Bill Gates.

Despite these early variations, CSR only entered the popular lexicon in the 1950s with R. Bowen’s landmark book, Social Responsibilities of the Businessman. The concept was challenged and strengthened in the 1960s with the birth of the environmental movement, following Rachel Carson’s critique of the chemicals industry in Silent Spring, and the consumer movement off the back of Ralph Nader’s social activism, most famously over General Motors’s safety record.

The 1970s saw the first widely accepted definition of CSR emerge – Archie Carroll’s 4-part concept of economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic responsibilities, later depicted as a CSR pyramid – as well as the first CSR code, the Sullivan Principles. The 1980s brought the application of quality management to occupational health and safety and the introduction of CSR codes like Responsible Care.

In the 1990s, CSR was institutionalised with standards like ISO 14001 and SA 8000, guidelines like the Global Reporting Initiative and corporate governance codes like Cadbury and King. The 21st century has been mostly more of the same, spawning a plethora of CSR guidelines, codes and standards (there are more than 100 listed in The A to Z of Corporate Social Responsibility), with industry sector and climate change variations on the theme.

Why is all this potted history of CSR important in a discussion about the future? Well, first, we must realise that CSR is a dynamic movement that has been evolving over decades, if not centuries. Second, and perhaps more importantly, we must acknowledge that, despite this seemingly impressive steady march of progress, CSR has failed.

CSR has undoubtedly had many positive impacts, for communities and the environment. Yet, its success or failure should be judged in the context of the total impacts of business on society and the planet. Viewed this way, as the evidence already cited shows, on virtually every measure of social, ecological and ethical performance we have available, the negative impacts of business have been an unmitigated disaster, which CSR has completely failed to avert or even substantially moderate.

Why has CSR failed so spectacularly to address the very issues it claims to be most concerned about? In my view, this comes down to three factors …