Improving Business Impacts: New Research

‘Impact for Change’ is a programme of work by Corporate Citizenship which helps companies around the world to measure, improve and effectively communicate their impacts on society.
 
Report: Impact for Change - Better Business in a Better World

The relationships between business and society are becoming more complex, and as businesses are being asked tougher questions about their impacts, the importance of mapping, measuring and taking action on impacts across the entire value chain is vital.
 
However, a research report released by Corporate Citizenship reveals that just one fifth of companies believe that their impacts are currently understood by external audiences, as many companies still struggle to understand and communicate these issues themselves. This has created an  ‘impact-knowledge gap’.
 
The Impact for Change: Better Business in a Better World report provides a solution to companies that want to close this gap through mapping, measuring and taking action on their most important social, economic and environmental impacts.
 
An accompanying video featuring Diageo and Civicus explores insights and developments in the area of impact for change, and can be viewed here.
 
New Research: Hard Outcomes or Hollow Promises? Realising the True Impact of Community Investment 
 
Corporations spend billions every year on causes and in communities, but our new research shows that many know little about what difference it really makes. Based on the insights of more than 130 sustainability and corporate responsibility practitioners around the world, Corporate Citizenship’s latest research report reveals a surprising and sizeable gap between corporate aspirations and reality when it comes to corporate community investment (CCI):

• Three quarters of companies surveyed said they aspire to achieve long-term impact with their corporate community investment;
• But less than one quarter currently feel that their organisation is delivering on the promise;
• This is because less than one in four are measuring their long-term impacts on the community and benefits to the business. 

The report describes this discrepancy between what businesses seek to achieve, and what they are able to deliver as the ‘impact-aspiration gap’. Hard Outcomes or Hollow Promises? Realising the True Impact of Community Investment helps companies to close the impact-aspiration gap by overcoming the challenges and barriers to measurement. The report guides practitioners through the process to effectively measure community investment impacts – creating benefits for both business and society.
 
A complimentary webinar taking place on Wednesday 25th May 2016 will explore these issues and solutions for companies in more detail. More information and registration details can be found here.

Read the reports
 
About Corporate Citizenship
Corporate Citizenship is a global management consultancy specialising in sustainability and corporate responsibility. We work with corporate clients around the world to achieve their commitments to responsible business behaviours and sustainable practices. Founded in 1997, we now operate across offices in London, Melbourne, New York, San Francisco, Santiago and Singapore.

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