The document discusses the use of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework for corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting. It highlights how CSR aligns business with social values and stakeholder interests while offering insights into the research methodology and findings related to CSR practices by various companies. The findings indicate that GRI guidelines enhance the effectiveness and transparency of CSR reports, ultimately contributing to improved sustainability performance.

1. Talk the Green Walk How organizations have utilized the Global Reporting Initiative’s framework for corporate social responsibility reporting A capstone project by Brad Baso for fulfillment of graduation requirements of the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership program at the College of St. Catherine April 16, 2009

2. Talk the Green Walk: Overview Overview Purpose of research Conceptual framework: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Research methodology and findings Questions and, hopefully, Answers

3. Research Purpose Personally engaging Practical - emerging field of CSR reporting Excellent fit with MAOL’s effective, ethical and enduring leadership model

4. Conceptual Framework Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR Reporting Global Reporting Initiative Stakeholder Analysis Research Question

5. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) CSR aligns business operations with social values. It integrates the interests of stakeholders—all of those affected by a company's conduct—into the company's business policies and actions. CSR focuses on the social , environmental , and financial success of a company—the triple bottom line, with the goal being to positively impact society while achieving business success. -CSR Newswire (http://www.csrwire.com/pdf/WhatIsCSR.pdf)

6. CSR Reporting Describing a company’s CSR goals, activities and results. Frequently seen as a PR and branding tool

7. (GRI) Started in Boston as a program of Ceres in 1997, now on its own in Amsterdam Staff of 36, annual budget of $7M Network of 30,000+ experts in 60+ countries Primary products and services involve its reporting guidelines Over 1,500 published reports to date

8. GRI Guidelines Standard Disclosures: Strategy Economic Environmental Labor practices Human rights Society Product responsibility

9. GRI Guidelines What and how to report

10. Stakeholder Analysis Investors (shareholders) Employees Customers Public (community)

11. Shareholders Is this company effectively managing risks and opportunities?

12. Employees Am I inspired to work at this company? Employees (current and future) are increasingly bringing personal values into the workplace

13. Customers Do I have enough of/the right information to decide to spend money with this company?

14. Community Does this report disclose all relevant information about the company’s impact to its immediate surroundings and community? Corporate philanthropy efforts, environmental concerns

15. Research Question How does utilizing the Global Reporting Initiative’s corporate social responsibility reporting framework enhance companies’ CSR published reports?

16. Underlying Assumption CSR reporting, when done properly, improves companies’ sustainability performance, thereby making a positive contribution against the ecological challenges of global warming, diminishing bio-diversity, natural resource depletion and human adversity.

17. You will assume one of the points of view of these stakeholders based on the card given to you when you came in. Please open it now. Your role

18. CSR Reports Reviewed MN GRI General Mills Y N Kellogg’s N Y EcoLab Y Y JohnsonDiversey N N

19. Kellogg’s & General Mills

20. Commonalities Addressed concerns for all stakeholders: Nutrition and health Food safety Agriculture and production Identified organic/healthy brands

21. Included an excellent summary and CSR action plan Included strengths and opportunities 70 pages long 14 charts/graphs

23. Kellogg’s: Organic/Healthy Brands Organic/Healthy Brands

24. Excellent narratives and case studies Lacked overall CSR strategy Read more like a series of PR stories 55 pages long 7 charts/graphs (4 from enviro section)

25. General Mills: Organic/Healthy Brands Organic/Healthy Brands

26. Summary of Findings GRI’s Guidelines help companies develop their CSR reports from feel-good press releases to powerful documents of accountability and transparency.

27. Questions In your stakeholder role? Others?

28. Thank you! MAOL: Project advisor, Martha Hardesty Program director, Rebecca Hawthorne Go-to wonder woman, Val Krech Fellow students Friends, family and former coworkers