White Papers
Kenexa White Papers are reports that are based on research and are used to educate HR professionals and business executives on specific areas in the Human Capital Management (HCM) space. These papers address relevant, widespread organizational concerns and guide readers in organizational decision making. The overall purpose of each Kenexa White Paper is to focus on the current needs of companies by educating and advocating for a specific position that will help drive high performance in the organization.
Assessing Corporate Responsibility: Is it Good For Business?
By Brenda Kowske, Ph.D., Kenexa High Performance Institute, Anne Herman, Ph.D., Kenexa and Susan D’Mello, Kenexa High Performance Institute
Corporate responsibility (CR) has again become a popular phrase in the wake of recent business scandals, the international mortgage and housing crisis, and the global recession. Indeed, running a business exclusively focused on bottom-line profits has become an increasingly rare management theory. A few years ago, companies that operated factories overseas may have focused solely on the line-item expenses of production. Today, those same companies could find themselves faced with stakeholders who demand to know if their factory employees work in a safe environment, whether or not they are paid fairly, and if the company’s products are made in an environmentally sustainable manner. Whether it is to manage public image, or because it is the ethical and right thing to do, organizations across the business spectrum are paying heed to the notion of corporate responsibility. One school of thought is that CR is simply good for business. In this paper we will look at the prevalence of CR within organizations around the world, and examine what effect CR has on everything from customer service to bottom-line financials.