Corporate Citizenship: Successful Strategies for Responsible Companies [Hardcover]

Malcolm McIntosh (Author)

Book Description

Series: Ft | Publication Date: June 15, 1998

International companies such as Levis, Toys-R-Us, Avon, Nike, McDonalds, Texaco, Reebok, Sony and the White House Task Force have learned that putting corporate citizenship at the heart of corporate strategy has given them the competitive edge. The book profiles their efforts and provides innovative and visionary solutions to issues including Human Rights, Fair Trade, Social and Ethical Auditing, Environmental Policy, Stakeholder Relations, Global Codes of Conduct and Corporate Governance. These issues carry such weight in the business world that many international corporations, Avon in particular, are requiring that all suppliers be SA8000 certified, or lose their business.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

An invaluable management guide for every business leader determined to be a responsible corporate citizen.

* Putting corporate citizenship at the heart of strategy.
* Global corporate profiles: Levi Strauss, NEC, Shell and many others.
* Hands-on, practical coverage of social accountability auditing.

Business leaders who once disregarded any notion of social responsibility are rapidly developing an enlightened appreciation of the value of corporate reputation as a competitive advantage. Corporate Citizenship demonstrates how companies can earn sterling reputations as corporate citizens: in their treatment of employees, communities, the natural environment and other key stakeholders—while at the same time strengthening long-term stockholder value and profitability. Coverage includes: the business benefits of good corporate citizenship—and the dire risks of poor corporate citizenship to the enterprise; issues of corporate governance, human rights, the environment, fair trade, ethical investment, inclusivity, and more. The book includes extensive coverage of the new global ISO 8000 standards for social accountability: how they were developed, and how they can be used successfully in any company. For all business executives, strategists, planners, quality professionals, environmental professionals, and others concerned with issues of corporate responsibility.

About the Author

Malcolm McIntosh has a wide experience in business in the UK, Japan and Australia. As a consultant, teacher, film-maker and writer on global security, social responsibility and environmental management, his clients have included BMW, British Airways and The Ministry of Defence. Deborah T Leipziger is one of the primary authors of the Social Accountability 2000 Standard. Keith L Jones is a lead auditor for SGS Yardley Gill Coleman is Programme Director at the New Academy of Business

Product Details

• Hardcover: 346 pages
• Publisher: Financial Times/Prentice Hall; 1st edition (June 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0273631063
• ISBN-13: 978-0273631064
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,641,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exit fluff, enter common sense, January 14, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Corporate Citizenship: Successful Strategies for Responsible Companies (Hardcover)

I read this book wearing my corporate glasses. Having worked in corporate (multi-national) America, I was biased. I have seen many mission statements which claim to improve peoples lives, but have yet to see this implemented in the daily corporate work processes. And the question managers mostly ask is: where is the data that shows that corporations can make money on good business practice? Well, this book changed all these misconceptions for me. It was lucid, very convincing and extremely well researched. For a cynic, its hard to admit that I am now a convert. I gave the book four stars because: 1. it is filled with references and cases to real companies and their proven track record of success with new strategies, 2. it provides the reader with convincing data and facts and 3. it demystifies buzz-words and has come a long way in shedding the fluff which often dominates this field. The book is structured in a way that you can read chapters independently of each other-which is great for the manager on the run. But this is also why I withheld the last star. The introductions to each chapter tend to be a little long and at times repetitive, especially when you read the book chronologically. I highly recommend this book as THE book on corporate citizenship and hope that business schools make it compulsory reading for every budding business student and professor alike. We would benefit immensely from it. Locally, as well as globally.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Corporate Citizenship, November 12, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Corporate Citizenship: Successful Strategies for Responsible Companies (Hardcover)

The stated aim of the book is "to provide you with a source of ideas and examples, giving clear explanations of the issues and language currently dominating discussion about the social and environmental responsibilities of business . . . Reading this book will give you the insight and the answers as to how to evolve into a successful, responsible business. Benefit from the significant initiatives and hard lessons learned by organizations across all sectors, types and sizes" (taken from inside cover).

I believe that the book has achieved this, outlining the main issues of social accountability, documenting numerous real-life examples of companies demonstrating these principles in action, and using these to show how companies have now adopted a more socially responsible way of doing business . . . profitably! In addition, there is a glossary of terms used at the end to help understand the jargon used, as well as a list of contact addresses of organizations mentioned throughout the book.

This is very much a book targeted at managers of corporations, but can be equally relevant for tomorrow's leaders wanting to learn from past mistakes, therefore was an interesting read. I enjoyed reading it and find the principles stated relevant not only to organizations, but to individuals too. My main criticism was that there was a great emphasis on the role of the organization throughout the book, and little was said about the individual until the end. Although I realize that this was the focus of the book (being called "Corporate Citizenship"!!), I think that I might have found it more personally relevant if it also incorporated the role of every stakeholder in society. We all have our part to play, which was occasionally overlooked in this book.