Twice as Many CEOs Focused on Environmental Issues Compared to Four Years Ago
No author cited
IBM, 2008
According to IBM's latest CEO Study, 18 percent of CEOs are now focusing on environmental issues, double the number from four years ago. However, the number is lowest in the Americas, where only 12 percent of CEOs cited environmental issues as an area of focus.
The majority of CEOs see the rise of corporate social responsibility as an opportunity, not a threat. They see it as a way to become better aligned with the concerns of society, and thus help attract top talent to the company, enhance its brand around the world and break into new markets.
IBM notes that across their previous CEO studies, only three external forces have consistently
ranked higher in each consecutive survey: socioeconomic
factors, environmental issues and people skills. "Interestingly," they write, "all three
are linked to CSR."
The study also acknowledged that CEOs see leverage in understanding CSR in terms of attracting and retaining top talent in an environment where it is in short supply. On the customer side, the study also referenced CEOs' increasing responsibility and opportunity in maintaining the socioeconomic well-being of the regions in which they operate.
And the opportunity, the study finds, extends to companies' products and services when they can "go green" and promote that fact effectively in the marketplace.
Due to all of the above, and other factors, the study finds that CEOs plan to grow their CSR-related investments by 25 percent over the next three years. This pattern
holds true even among emerging market CEOs, the study finds.
