New Industry Body to Take CSR Lead
27 November 2006 at 1:51 pm
The CSR Summit in Sydney has heard that Australian companies have fallen behind their European and American counterparts continuing to ignore important social and environmental issues, many of which big business themselves helped to create.
A new Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) industry body was unveiled at the second CSR Summit called Models of Success & Sustainability (MOSS). The new body will cater to a new brand of socially aware companies, delivering educational events, leadership, and training to enhance the triple-bottom-line.
Organisations including Baker and McKenzie, Edelman, Barnardos, Zaffyre International and the Global Research Company have subscribed to MOSS.
The body has also enlisted the support of high profile executives including Lord Michael Hastings, Global Director Corporate Citizenship at KPMG and Sharon Jackson, Director of Carlton CSR and Associate Consultant at the Centre for Customised Executive Development, Cranfield University School of Management.
Andrew Beatty, a Partner at Baker & McKenzie in the Environment and Environmental Markets Group applauded the plans for the new institution.
He says that with environmental and social awareness on the rise, communities and other important corporate stakeholders expect companies to understand the impact their organisation has on both the local and global environment and to practice safe and sustainable business.
As well Beatty says there are still many companies which don’t fully understand these issues and consequently may be inadvertently contributing to a legacy of social and environmental harm, especially climate change.
He says saying ‘we will fix it later’ is no longer an option as voters, governments and other companies (including customers) realise how fundamental it is to act in a socially and environmentally responsible manner for a sustainable future.
Anne-Maree Huxley, Founder and Director of MOSS unveiled the plans which aim to bring corporate Australia in line with social expectations.
Huxley says MOSS will be Australia’s first organisation dedicated to the encouragement and development of Corporate Social Responsibility.
She says Australia is lagging behind the rest of the western world in regards to CSR so MOSS is looking forward to seeing how far Australia’s corporate culture will go in addressing social and environmental issues when they have the proper resources and encouragement at hand.
She says MOSS will provide the blueprint for CSR in Australia and inspire business to fully embrace CSR as the preferred business model.
MOSS (Models of Success and Sustainability) is the Australasian centre for Corporate Social Responsibility. MOSS is supported by a range of professional organisations and Universities including the National Institute of Governance and the University of Canberra, the CEO Institute, the Public Relations Institute of Australia, The Australasian Compliance Institute, The Australasian Sponsorship Marketing Association, The Society for Consumer Affairs Professionals and Griffith University.
