Brock is a staff writer for the Social Enterprise category of Justmeans. He is a professional writer and believes in the ideal of social responsibility and using industry and business to better the community. As a former journalist, he has seen the best and worst of social enterprise and social responsibility and wants to bring both to the forefront of the public eye....
Consumer Electronics Firms Lead CSR Efforts
The same companies that keep you connected are also the ones doing the most for people and their communities. Pike research
discovered that consumer electronics companies, such as IBM, Apple and Texas Instruments, are leading the way in corporate social responsibility efforts.
"In general, the closer the company's business is related to consumer electronics, the higher its CSR score," says Pike Research president Clint Wheelock. "Many of the largest companies in the sector are in the midst of adopting or improving sustainability practices in their new product lifecycles to include a greater focus on more sustainable design, manufacturing, distribution, use, and end-of-life management."
This isn't by accident and is as much as about business performance and community and environmental support. According to Pike, the environment and sustainability have long been an important part of business metrics and corporate branding and imaging.
Customers are willing to spend a little more for a product if they know some of that money is going to a good cause. The report "Sustainable Electronics Design" examines sustainability trends in the design and manufacturing across the electronics industry, including companies that provide everything from computers and peripherals to office equipment.
The report goes across several industries as well, from scientific to home entertainment. It assessed and ranked the initiatives of the many large scale electronics companies and included the future impact of these initiatives both in revenue and unit shipments through 2015.
The report wasn't an easy one for Pike to accomplish as less than 10 percent of the companies contacted wanted to talk about their process and initiatives. Apparently, electronics companies like to keep this information close to their vests. The report also did not take into account the impact, both socially and environmentally, of raw materials and feedstock extraction for mining of metal or refining oil.
According to Pike, the report shows that electronics companies have an advanced understanding of corporate social responsibility when compared to other business sectors. It also shows that corporate social responsibility is changing from a program to an integral part of corporate culture.
Pike Research is a market research and consulting firm that provides in-depth analysis of global clean technology markets. The company's research methodology combines supply-side industry analysis, end-user primary research and demand assessment, and deep examination of technology trends to provide a comprehensive view of the Smart Energy, Smart Grid, Smart Transportation, Smart Industry, and Smart Buildings sectors.
Photo credit: wlodi
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