Corporate Citizenship in the New Century: Accountability, Transparency, and Global Stakeholder Engagement

by Sophia A. Muirhead, Charles J. Bennett, Ronald E. Berenbeim, Amy Kao, and David J. Vidal

This report, based on the views and experiences of corporate managers of citizenship programs, CEOs, and board members at over 700 companies, examines the state of global corporate citizenship practices, expectations, and trends. It concludes that companies and their stakeholders are beginning to realize that they need each other to shape a common vision of what is best for business and society—a truly global ethic of global citizenship.

Major findings:

• Strategic community involvement and global giving practices are replacing traditional philanthropy
• Social, environmental, and sustainability reporting initiatives are gaining momentum
• More companies understand the value of engaging their stakeholders—including NGOs—rather than simply managing them

Full report includes:

• Case studies of American Express, Schmalbach-Lubeca AG, BT Group, and Ford Motor Company
• Information on the Working Group and Research Forum on Global Corporate Citizenship that designed the study
• Survey respondent profiles
• Glossary of resources and terms and selected Web resources