Are Corporate Social Responsibility Programs Increasing Shareholder Value?

p>Chief Marketing Officers (CMO) in majorIt breaks my little marketer heart to type it, but
corporations across the globe are asked by theirgreen marketing is in ... overload.
Boards, "When will 'Green' extend our brand loyalty?Here is one test. Create a twitter account, follow
How will corporate social responsibility programspassionate folks involved in green and experience a
consistently increase shareholder value?"current green topic tweeted to you, 15 times.
That sound is the collective mass of CMOs scratchingTilt.
their heads.The bottom line is: businesses that promote, invest
More and more, executives in mega-enterprise-wideand champion a future of reduced emissions should
companies are doing the right thing: diligentlybe the brand leaders of today and tomorrow.
implementing processes to measure and manageResponsible executives are doing the right thing and
carbon emissions, not an easy feat in a worldwidespending big money to implement supply chain carbon
supply chain. Energy efficiency, reuse and watermetrics and more. They seek the answer to, "What
conservation are hitting top-of-mind-awareness forbang for my buck?" Their investment is not cheap or
many CEOs and their efforts are packaged,easy, they undoubtedly deserve the bang.
positioned and presented in corporate sustainabilityYet sustainability programs remain early adopter as
reports (CSR).the value propositions available today are not revving
Voluminous reports, not to be outweighed by theup shareholder value and brand loyalty.
explosion of 'me so green!' advertising.The majority of businesses on the planet are small to
I'm interested, actually captivated. I read a significantmedium size enterprises (SME). If Intel, Dell and
number of CSRs as well as marketing researchPepsiCo are not able to turn their massive
results generated by groups like Earthsense whoinvestment in green into brand loyalty, how will SMEs
provide an impressive report of the green consumer.be convinced that the investment is worth it?
In twenty plus years, I have never seen an industryConsumers are inundated.
with so much data, outstanding data, and so littleCorporations focused on quarterly results know that
consumer commitment. Venture funding for greenmeeting long-range, high cost deadlines require
has surpassed biotech, our government is evaluatingconsumer support. Perhaps a collaborative strategic
advanced legislation and opening up our coffers, anddiscussion is warranted.
still consumers do not act.