2007 Corporate Responsibility Index results:
Corporate responsibility on the national agenda
View the results for the 2007 Corporate Responsibility Index (PDF - 39kb), which were announced on 20 May 2008 in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age (PDF - 1.1mb).
A total of forty companies participated in the fifth Index (including sixteen new companies). Flexible entry options introduced last year include a private benchmark which has proved popular for new companies, with ten taking up the option this year.
Dr Simon Longstaff, Executive Director of St James Ethics Centre noted in his foreword, “This year’s Index is evidence of a corporate sector that is beginning to lose its fear of candid and transparent reporting. This suggests a deeper commitment to learning than has been evident in the past”.
Creators of the Index, Business in the Community UK, introduced a number of changes to the 2007 Index ensuring that participating companies aspire to best practice.
“The latest iteration of the CRI is far more demanding than it has been in earlier years. All participants should be applauded for their voluntary participation in this rigorous, examination of their corporate responsibility practices and their commitment to improve” as cited by Dr Longstaff.
The thirty four companies participating in the full 2007 Index achieved an average overall score of 78.3%. To date, sixty-three companies have used the Index in Australia and New Zealand.
Those companies who have been early adopters in corporate responsibility with consistently high scores on the CRI have been invited to join the newly established CRI Leaders Network to collaborate with St James Ethics Centre (trustee of the Index) in driving the uptake of responsible business practice across Australia.
“For such companies, continued leadership may require something more than completing the CRI on an annual basis. The CRI Leaders Network will form a vibrant laboratory within which a series of innovative developments have begun” states Dr Longstaff.
The 2007 Index saw a broadening of sector engagement - Financials (7), Energy & Utilities (6), Materials (6), Consumer Goods & Services (5), Support Services & Telecommunications (5), Food & Beverage (4), Accountants & Consultants (3), Healthcare (1), Real Estate (1), Media & Entertainment (1), Software & Computer Services (1).
Dr Longstaff notes “This year’s list of participants is the most diverse yet. One of our aims is to develop new tools that further expand access to the CRI methodology – especially for the small to medium enterprise (SME) sector”.
Awards for the fifth Corporate Responsibility Index
- Best new entrant - mecu Limited
- Best progress - Country Energy
- Leadership - ANZ
- Best performance - EnergyAustralia
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