Benchmarking Corporate Community Investment -LBG

CSR Consultants, Positive Outcomes is about to launch LBG Australia – a robust way to measure and benchmark Corporate Community Involvement – with founding members Unilever Australasia, Cisco Systems, Cadbury Schweppes, Fosters, AGL and Pacific Brands.

Louise Redmond from Positive Outcomes says that as corporate community investment (CCI) matures in Australia, the time for robust reporting and data validity has become critical.

Recognising this, she says Positive Outcomes has launched LBG (London Benchmarking Group) in Australia.

The Corporate Citizenship Company (UK) developed LBG – a reporting model that uses common definitions and a standard approach for CCI performance.

Redmond says LBG is already used by more than 100 companies internationally and it has a proven 10 year track record.

She says that by comparing ‘inputs’ with ‘outputs’ and ‘impacts’, companies can determine how effective their community investments are, paving the way for better, more strategic contributions in the future. They can also compare their performance with their corporate peers, based on a consistent standard.

Positive Outcomes says that using the LBG model enables companies to:

– account for their total community spend

– give feedback within the company on the inputs, outputs and impacts of their community spend

– accurately compare performance against other companies

– facilitate the ‘assurance’ task for CSR reports

– confidently report to external indices eg Corporate Responsibility Index

– identify areas of opportunity both for the community and for the business.

Peter Slator, the Chairman of Unilever Australasia says that as a standardised reporting and measuring tool, the LBG model will be enormously beneficial in capturing and tracking their total community spend and the true value of staff involvement.

He says this in turn will enable the company to better plan and prioritise its community activities and to identify areas for adjustment.

Because Unilever forms long-term partnerships with community organisations, he says the LBG model will allow both groups to set realistic goals and objectives and to achieve maximum returns for the community and for stakeholders.

The annual fee for membership is $6,000 per annum (+ GST).

Founding members (those who join in 2005/2006) are invited to join the steering group to further develop LBG Australia implementation and policy.

All LBG Australia members will have the opportunity to meet regularly with other like-minded corporations on CCI benchmarking issues including up to ten round-table meetings a year (in Melbourne or Sydney) to report on the annual data collection and analysis.

Whilst LBG Australia members shape the group’s agenda, Louise Redmond will lead the team responsible for delivering the LBG Australia work plan.

Redmond will be supported by an experienced team from Positive Outcomes and have back up support from The Corporate Citizenship Company.

Positive Outcomes will provide regular updates between meetings, produce guidance notes and will work closely with The Corporate Citizenship Company to move the model to a global focus for benchmarking.

LBG Australia will have its Sydney launch on August 29th followed by a series of free one-hour seminars.

The panel of experts for the opening includes:

– Peter Slator, Chairman Unilever Australasia
– Helen Trinca, Editor of AFR’s Boss magazine
– Robert McLean, Dean and Director of AGSM
– Danny Gilbert, Managing Partner Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers
– Greg Martin, Managing Director AGL

To find out more about the launch and information seminars go to the website at http://www.positiveoutcomes.com.au or email debbie@positiveoutcomes.com.au or call 02 9004 6452.