From Trend to Practice: CSR and Sustainability Become Business as Usual

From Trend to Practice: CSR and Sustainability Become Business as Usual

Not so long ago, corporate social responsibility and sustainability were talked about as trends. Today, those concepts are firmly embedded in the mainstream of business strategies and practices.

Now, we’re talking about trends within CSR and sustainability, such as CEOAction, the group of 300 chief executives that supports initiatives to advance diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Another example is the “Brands Taking Stands” focus of Commit!Forum’s recent conference that highlighted the upsurge of public companies taking positions on social issues such as immigration, climate change, and LGBTQ rights.

Then there are the growing numbers and kinds of reporting supported by an equally increasing number of reporting frameworks such as the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board, the UN Global Compact, the Global Reporting Initiative, the Carbon Disclosure Project, and others. But here’s the deal: these “sub-trends” are also becoming much more than trends—they too, are now becoming business as usual.

I’m John Howell for 3BL Media.