introduction to the corporate responsibility index

The Corporate Responsibility Index (CRI) is a strategic management tool to enhance the capacity of businesses to develop, measure and communicate corporate responsibility.
The CRI encourages a principles-based approach, reducing the risk of a compliance-based culture. It assists companies to improve corporate behaviour by providing a framework for building internal capacity and to incorporate corporate responsibility issues into business strategy in a way which reflects their actual business importance.

The Index has been created by more than eighty leading businesses in the UK and Business in the Community, a unique movement of 700 member companies committed to continually improving their positive impact on society.

Business in the Community licences the Index to St James Ethics Centre for use in Australia and New Zealand. St James Ethics Centre, working in partnership with The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and proudly supported by Ernst & Young, launched the Corporate Responsibility Index in Australia in 2003.

Participation in the Index is on a voluntary basis and involves companies undertaking a rigorous self assessment process of how they incorporate principles of corporate responsibility throughout their business operations. As this is a self-assessment process, there is a requirement that each submission be accompanied by supporting documentary evidence and formal sign off by the company Chief Executive or Board member.

Validation: In 2007 Ernst & Young’s Sustainability Assurance and Advisory Services undertook the validation that assessed all company submissions on a sample basis ensuring responses were supported by appropriate evidence and that questions were interpreted consistently by participating companies.

Scoring: Post validation, final company scores are generated automatically by the Business in the Community (BITC) online benchmarking system according to the weightings in the model above.

Feedback: All participating companies receive detailed confidential feedback on their performance compared, where possible, with other participants in their sector and all other participants. This gap analysis assists companies to identify areas of strength and for improvement. The Index forms a useful tool to present information at board level and develop plans for further action.

Now in its 5th year, to date sixty-three companies have participated in the Australian Index, with over 126 participating in the UK.

site map > copyright & legal > about the site

The Corporate Responsibility Index is funded by the Australian Federal Government. The Index, developed and maintained by Business in the Community in the UK, is a project of St James Ethics Centre supported by Ernst & Young. Our media partners are The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. Project catalyst: Pilotlight Australia.