Less than a quarter of Europe’s 50 biggest companies have made a real commitment to corporate responsibility (CR) communications according to the latest research from corporate communications consultancy and CiB member salterbaxter. The agency believes there is now a two-speed approach with many companies being left behind as they fail to grasp what has been dubbed ‘CR 2.0’ and rise to the challenge of tough sustainability issues.

The survey of the Euro 50 shows that Shell, Nestle and Glaxosmithkline are among the European companies making the leap to ‘CR 2.0’ – an approach to corporate responsibility that encompasses more than simply ‘housekeeping’ and tackles the bigger issues.  But other businesses, particularly in the banking and mining sectors are still on the slow track of CR1.0.

The research appears in this year’s Directions report entitled Sustainability Gets Tough, by CR communications specialist salterbaxter.  The consultancy has conducted in-depth research into the top 50 European companies as ranked by the FT – and identified those who have adopted CR 2.0, or remain at CR 1.0 – looking at communications in print and online.

Lucie Harrild, CR consultant at salterbaxter, explains: “To mirror the online world, this is the brave new world of CR 2.0. It’s as if a two speed approach to CR is developing – those that are rising to the challenge of really tough sustainability issues, and those that are sticking to incremental improvements in housekeeping. We have looked at who is tackling the big issues outside of what are now recognised as ‘business as usual’ issues.“

To compile the research, salterbaxter scrutinised the corporate communications activities of the Top 50. In order to identify which companies are leading the field, it asked the following questions:

• Is the business showing signs of embedding corporate responsibility and sustainability into its strategy and articulating where it sees the business value?
• Is the business engaging with shareholders?
• Does the business work through a materiality process to define its issues?
• What issues is the business considering?
• Do we think the business is making a shift from CR 1.0 to 2.0?

Among those who have made the shift to CR 2.0 were Royal Bank of Scotland, Vodafone and Volkswagen. However, other leading firms such as L’Oreal and HSBC, were still seen as practicing CR 1.0.

Launching in November 2008, Sustainability Gets Tough will tackle some of the most controversial and difficult issues surrounding CR today. With articles written by some of the industry’s foremost experts, the report will discuss the benefits and risks of biofuels, which have become controversial because of their subsequent impact on world food prices; investigate the implications of economic development in China; address the impact of the credit crunch on firms’ CR policies and pose the question: are we suffocating under the weight of the packaging problem?

Visit the salterbaxter website to order a copy.