CSR & Forbes' top "trustworthy" companies
CSR comes in many firms; carbon transparency is less important to CSR than is basic business transparency in accounting, financial statements and more. Forbes promotes an annual list of companies it deems "trustworthy". The ratings are issued by Audit Integrity (AI), a California based consultant. The list reflects the appropriateness of investor confidence in financials, such as accounting practices, financial data accuracy and management procedures. AI's analyses have successfully raised red flags a couple of years ahead of their eventual implosion in the cases of Lehman Brothers and AIG. In terms of transparent accounting and sound corporate governance, these are the top ten winners by size, with accompanying CSR activity.
If I couldn't LOCATE evidence of CSR programs, I entered "none". It is important to note that doesn't mean these firms don't give back; it means that they aren't good at communicating it.
Size / CSR program
Large cap
- Bed, Bath, and Beyond / None that we know of
- Enbridge Energy Partners / Extensive, award winning
- Hess / Internal, no promotion of it
- Jacobs Engineering Group / None that we know of
- Ameren / None that we know of
- Estee Lauder /Extensive
- Con Edison / Partnered with CERES until 2004
- Fastenal /Lots related to environment, diversity
- Salesforce / Extensive; B-Corp status
- Flowserve / None that we know of
- Lowe's Co. (11 because I've been a Lowe's fan for a while …)
Mid-Cap
- Montpelier Holdings / None that we know of
- Werner Enterprises / Green, energy conservation activities
- Casey's General Stores / None that we know of
- Bemis / Extensive
- Nu Skin Enterprises / None that we know of
- Watsco / None that we know of
- Auxilium Pharm. / None that we know of
- Arch Capital / None that we know of
- Sykes Enterprises / Partnered with Community Foundation of Tampa Bay
- Jo-Ann Fabrics / $1 million+ in 2009 donations to charity
Honorable, recognizable mentions: Under Armor, Capella Education, Columbia Sportswear...
Small cap
- Greenlight Capital /None that we know of
- National Interstate /None that we know of
- Art Technology Group /None that we know of
- CDI /None that we know of
- Central Vermont Public /Service None that we know of
- Haverty Furniture /None that we know of
- FPIC Insurance /None that we know of
- Hot Topic /None that we know of
- Orion Marine /None that we know of
- American's Car-Mart / None that we know of
The majority of Forbes' large cap trustworthy companies do have CSR programs; the others may too, but have yet to promote it. CSR activity diminishes with smaller company size. These companies do the world a service just by being honest in financials. CSR is to some extent worthless if primary business processes are irresponsible; locking those down and focusing on consumer wellbeing are important first steps to social responsibility.
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