Companies Doing Well by Doing Good

No matter what you call it – business ethics, corporate citizenship, corporate social performance, responsible business, social accountability, or sustainable responsible business – corporate social responsibility is an important aspect of any business model. Corporations that self-regulate their activities and work to have a positive impact on their local community, the environment, consumers, employees, and stakeholders have gone above and beyond in recent years to ensure their work is making a difference.

Earlier this year, General Mills released its 2010 Corporate Social Responsibility Report. Among the company's accomplishments:

• Improving nearly 50 percent in the nutrition profile of its products since 2005
  
• Contributing almost $91 million in philanthropic giving
  
• Introducing innovative ways to trim waste and reduce the company's environmental footprint

For their work, General Mills has received many honors, including one of the "100 Greenest Companies in America" by Newsweek Magazine and was named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by the Ethisphere Institute.

Last month, PepsiCo released its 2009 Corporate Citizenship Report. The company believes in its "Performance with Purpose" motto, delivering sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and the planet and strives to bring that purpose to every aspect of its business. In 2009, PepsiCo was able to:

• Conserve more than 12 billion liters of water through efficiency improvements within operations
  
• Introduce the first fully compostable SunChips bag made with renewable plant-based materials
  
• Increase executive positions held by women globally to 30 percent
  
• Enter into a $2.5 million national two-year effort with the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation to reduce obesity, especially childhood obesity, by 2015 through the PepsiCo Foundation

Also in August, Dannon announced that it had cut its overall carbon footprint by 10 percent in 2009, just one of the company's many achievements announced in its Corporate Social Responsibility Report. For this work, the food and beverage company was recognized as one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's top green power partners for using the most renewable electricity.

Looking ahead, Coca-Cola Enterprises is planning a "Journey to 2020" when the set of targets and goals the company released last year are met. The company inched closer to those goals, as outlined in their most recent Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability Report. Coca-Cola Enterprises has made strides in areas such as energy conservation and climate change, water stewardship, sustainable packaging and recycling, product portfolio/active lifestyle, diverse and inclusive culture, and stakeholder engagement.

Food and beverage consumer packaged goods companies have embraced CSR. Concern about overall positive impact on society is no longer trendy; it's the right thing to do.

What companies do you think have the best CSR campaigns? What companies do you think could be doing more? Leave a message to share your thoughts on this important topic.