Corporate Responsibility Coalitions

<p>The significance of business-led corporate responsibility coalitions is indisputable. The WBCSD has 200 member companies with combined annual revenues of US$7 _<em>trillion_</em>; the UN Global Compact has almost 8000 corporate members over two-thirds of them from developing countries. It is estimated that there are more than 110 national and international generalist business-led CR coalitions. But there is now urgent need for informed and balanced analysis of their achievements their progress and their potential.<br><br>Why did these coalitions start and grow? What have been their impacts? Where are they heading now? Where should they be going? What is the future? In a period of austerity the business and public sector must decide whether funding these coalitions is a priority.<br><br>To meet current crises there will have to be a great deal more business involvement; but efforts of individual corporations will not be sufficient. There is also a need for far more collective action among companies and more collaborative action between different sectors of society. Business-led CR coalitions with their decades of convening experience could play an important role in this process - if they are fit for purpose going forward.<br><br>Authors David Grayson and Jane Nelson have been actively involved in such coalitions for decades. In <em>Corporate Responsibility Coalitions</em> they first explore the past present and future of these coalitions: the emergence of new models of collective corporate action over the past four decades; the current state of play and the increasing number diversity and complexity in terms of how they not only network with each other but also engage in a much broader universe of institutions that are promoting responsible business practices. In addition the book provides in-depth profiles of the most strategic effective and long-standing coalitions including: Business for Social Responsibility; Business in the Community; CSR Europe; Instituto Ethos; International Business Leaders Forum; the UN Global Compact; and the WBCSD.<br><br>This book will be required reading for key supporters and potential partners of such coalitions in companies governments international development agencies foundations non-governmental organizations academic institutions and think-tanks. It also aims to inspire a future generation of leaders to be more aware of the role of business as a partner in driving more inclusive green and responsible growth and to help them develop new types of leadership skills so that they can be effective in finding multi-stakeholder solutions to complex and systemic challenges.</p>