A presentation that looks at how corporate CSR, sustainability and ethics communications have evolved to the present day, and where they may be headed next. Used to based a talk on for an upcoming conference rather than as a stand alone...

1. CSR communication – a brief tour
Tobias Webb, founder, Ethical Corporation & Stakeholder Intelligence

2. Founded 2001
Business magazine
Based in London, global
network of writers
8000 articles on
Ethicalcorp.com
Serving 3000 companies
Hosts Conferences
Publishes Reports
Interview hundreds of
managers every year
More at:
www.ethicalcorp.com

5. External CSR communication: Today’s key audiences
Stakeholders Consumers
“Opinion formers”:
NGOs
Academics
Business media
Communities
Government/Civil Servants
Institutions/Investors
Traditional Middle Classes:
(ABC1’s)
Consumer media
Other demographic groups:
Luxury market
Lower income groups

6. Was the “Blood Sugar” boycott of the 1790s the first? Perhaps
Controversial from
the 1790s onwards

7. Early Greenwashing…has much changed?

8. Benetton: 1980s/90s awareness raising

9. Possibly the worst green ad ever…

10. (2009) What not to do…

11. What not to do…

12. Innocent: Knitted hats for Age Concern
25p from each since 2003
Evolution…

13. A brilliant piece of engagement in complexity…

14. Unilever: Aiming to change
a billion lives for the better
By 2015
Launched in 2010
Mission: Cut the 1000 a day
deaths in under 5’s

15. Coop Switzerland:
Worth watching for
Creative comms in
an aware market…

16. Coop Switzerland:
Ethical Corporation
Award winner 2011

17. Launched in 2007: “Ten years of incrementalism leading to transformation”

18. 2012/13: M&S : Raising $2.3 million for Oxfam, reducing environmental impacts

19. Earthkeepers product line:
10% of sales: Over $1 billion
Inspired by Greenpeace’s
“Slaughtering the Amazon”
2009 report
20,000 emails to CEO inspired
Innovation!

21. Big news:
New York Times Ad
25 November 2011

23. Procott? Buycott? Carrotmob supports progressive companies and ideas

24. 250 campaigns in over 20 countries

25. Raising the bar for big brands? Yes, and No…

26. What does all this mean?
• Ethics debate is not new:
Boycotts go back to 1790s
• Companies
communicating more
about values from 1960s
• 1960-2000’s:“Broadcast”
• No eco-label represents
more than 10% of
‘market’ (FSC, MSC etc) Kimberly-Clark:
“$5 Billion in eco-sales by 2020”?

27. What does all this mean?
• Social media: Opportunity and
major risk (Nestle/Greenpeace)
• CSR issues not yet
‘mainstreamed’ with
consumers: Mostly response to
NGO/Media pressure
• Today’s communication about
engagement and response:
Timberland, Patagonia, niche
brands…increasing
sophistication in approaches
• Can Unilever/M&S etc take it
mainstream? We will find out…
GP supporters adopted this as FB profile pic

28. Want to know more?
Online Training Module on CSR Communications
Regular "Smarter Business Blog“
Visit: www.ethicalcorp.com
Free presentations on CSR and Communication
Email me: Tobias.Webb@stakeholderintel.com