Editor's Note: The World of Corporate Social Responsibility July 07, 2008 July 2008
By Jennifer Juergens
Aside from the economy, there is probably no hotter topic these days than corporate social responsibility. There are conferences surrounding the subject, Web sites dedicated to pinpointing responsible companies and hundreds of speakers talking to groups on the topic. In our own backyard, incentive companies are offering sustainable products in the awards mix while travel companies sort out participants' carbon imprints.
In 2006, rock star Bono really made people take notice on the issue of AIDS in Africa when he helped kick off the (RED) campaign, with companies diving in to support it by selling (PRODUCT) RED merchandise—like red iPods from Apple and red Motorola MOTORAZR V3i phones—with a percentage of funds going to buy and distribute antiretroviral drugs.
It's nice to see companies jumping in too—and people taking notice.
As Leo Jakobson writes in the cover story starting on page 16, about Pitney Bowes and its extensive programs encouraging volunteerism, diversity, ethics, environmental responsibility and healthy employees. Alex Palmer spoke to Recreation Equipment, Inc. (REI) and Patagonia, two companies that feel their social and environmental efforts give them a stronger connection to their employees. These companies are great examples of what we all should be doing—and it even got us here at the magazine thinking of doing a bit more volunteer work. We'll keep you posted on that.
Writer Andrea Doyle profiles MIT professor Dan Ariely, who is featured on pages 36-37. He's got some interesting views on life in general—and some strong views on why money does not always bring happiness. But we all know that, don't we?
The story on companies that do a good job of retaining their seniors starts on page 32. It's a topic that all companies should be thinking of as boomers start retiring.
All in all, I hope you'll find the staff here created some provocative reads.
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