More press: Natural Logic associate Christine Arena is featured in USA Today yesterday: Businesses grow more socially conscious, talking about her new book, The High Purpose Company.
Based on close research into 75 US companies, Christine found that "more corporations are using CSR not for feel-good philanthropy or to polish their public image, but as long-term corporate strategy".
They found that many are visionary, risk-taking companies that Arena calls "the early adopters, the alphas of the modern business world." The companies are staking their business growth and future on environmental and social goals...."It's not a fleeting fad," Arena says. "These companies are investing money in a way that creates social, environmental and financial value. They can't afford to stop investing in this higher purpose."
But many companies still ignore CSR issues, she says. In her study, 14 of 75 failed the litmus test. They preached social values, but made fewer investments in CSR practices than "high-purpose" companies did.