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Corporate responsibility in a material world
A one day conference organised by the Guardian and The Observer.
Chaired by Alex Thomson, broadcaster and presenter
To take place on Thursday 25 March 2004 at Church House Conference Centre, Westminster London.
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Judgements about corporate behaviour are becoming more sophisticated as the understanding of corporate responsibility (or CSR) develops.
Companies are now expected to understand and address the issues which are most relevant to their particular circumstances, rather than concentrating on generic issues regardless of their relevance.
They are also expected to focus on core business impacts - especially important in the light of the pledge by the world's governments at the 2002 Johannesburg summit to work towards sustainable consumption.
But corporate critics and advocates of greater responsibility are also expected to focus on material issues instead of assuming that everything is equally important throughout the business world.
Dialogue also needs to be based on an acceptance of the "material world" which public companies operate in: boards of directors need to be able to show that any voluntary action they endorse will ultimately enhance shareholder value; they also need to understand how their social and environmental impacts can enhance or endanger shareholder value.
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This conference will help managers and stakeholders in large and small companies to understand these developments more clearly and apply them to their own circumstances. It focuses on CSR innovation and includes a unique 'Masterclass' during which delegates can join a panel of experts in analysing a realistic case study.
In particular the conference will address the following questions:
·What does sustainable consumption mean in practice; what is the balance between threat and opportunity for business models which typically rely on sales growth?
·How should companies and investors identify and take account of what is really material to shareholder value?
·What is the latest practice in areas such as stakeholder dialogue, socially responsible investing and supply chain responsibility?
The conference will be preceded by a supplement in the Observer on Sunday March 21 2004. For advertising opportunities, please phone Lorna Willis on 0207 713 3909.
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