Is Industry Socially Responsible?

Corporate responsibility continues to be an important influence on the opinions and behaviour of stakeholders - including consumers - towards companies, according to new research in the UK by MORI. The results are from MORI's annual Corporate Social Responsibility survey.

Three-quarters of the public (73%) feel that industry and commerce does not pay enough attention to its responsibilities. There is also a rising trend in the influence of corporate responsibility on purchasing behaviour. Compared with five years ago, the proportion saying corporate responsibility is very important in their purchasing has almost doubled, from a quarter (24%) in 1997 to more than two in five (44%) this year.

Communication remains critical to building a company's responsible reputation. Yet communication of corporate responsibility activity is problematic, as the relatively low levels of public awareness of corporate community activity show. Only a third (34%) can name any company that contributes to society and the community, and just over a quarter (28%) can name a company they consider to be particularly socially, environmentally or ethically responsible.

These results are part of MORI's annual Corporate Social Responsibility study, run on behalf of a number of companies since 1990. The research was conducted among a representative sample of 2,001 British adults (aged 16+) across 161 sampling points in Great Britain. Interviewing was conducted face-to-face, in respondents' homes between 6 July and 19 August 2002.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas unless otherwise stated.

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