CR Magazine, or Corporate Responsibility Magazine, recently released their 14th annual 100 Best Corporate Citizens List for the year 2013 of Russell 1000 companies. It acknowledges public companies across the nation that have shown their outstanding commitment to being a “corporate citizen,” primarily in corporate responsibility. The leaders of the 100 companies were honored in New York at the New York Stock Exchange earlier this month. The ceremony included a key note address that featured the Newark Mayor Cory Booker.
The 100 Best Corporate Citizens List was not a randomly thrown together list of names; it has been compiled from 298 data points. CR Magazine has spent time thoroughly researching the public corporations in the United States in order to determine the 100 that are doing the most in terms of corporate social responsibility, or a dedication not only to their customers, but their surrounding communities and the country, or even the world, as a whole. The data points were collected from public records, and focused on issues like the environment, human rights, finance, employee relations, and perhaps most importantly, philanthropy. Primarily, these companies represent transparency to the public.
Dirk Olin, the Editor-in-Chief and the Publisher of CR Magazine, commented that the companies on this list set the bar high for United States organizations, and it covers the environment, the economy, and society itself. Some specific statistics on this year’s list include: 11 companies have appeared on the list since 2007, and 26 companies are on the list that were not in 2012. Additionally, 32 companies rose about 20 ranks. Overall, CR Magazine shows that there is an increasing shift towards corporate social responsibility, and that more companies are dedicated to improving their practices.
In descending order, the top 5 companies on the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List are: AT&T, Mattel Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eaton Corp., and Intel Corp. CR Magazine also provides case studies to highlight practices and trends in regards to corporate responsibility, covering everything from climate change to human rights.
Campbell Soup Company placed in the top 10 on the list. Dave Stangis, the Vice President of Campbell, has noted that the company was largely recognized for their sustainability efforts in local communities surrounding Campbell. The company tries to reduce its “carbon footprint,” and they are certainly committed to the community and their customers. Their corporate social responsibility is explicitly outlined their company’s framework, and touches upon four main areas: the consumers, the planet, the employees, and the community.
Another company on the list is Sempra Energy, who was ranked at 27. It earned its high marks in the categories of the environment, philanthropy, and human rights. Randall L. Clark, the vice president of corporate responsibility, commented that Sempra Energy has company values that emphasize respect, ethics, and responsibility. Sempra Energy is also recognized for its sustainable practices.
These two companies only represent a small portion of the 100 Best Corporate Citizens List. Each listed company is dedicated to helping the environment, the community, and the consumers. Overall, this list shows that many corporations are trying to have social responsibility in one way or another, and most importantly, they are working on reducing their carbon footprints and turning towards issues of sustainability.
– Corina Balsamo
Sources: Sac Bee, Herald Online, Herald Online, Forbes
Photo: Fast Coexist