Is this the start of the erosion of CSR being used as a smokescreen, where all companies shout about the 3 good things they do and ignore the rest?
Timberland (the boot maker, not to be confused with the hip-hop mogul) have started to point out the bad that they do, as well as the good - which will culminate in the introduction of a green index on all their products...some will be high, some will be low, but (they claim) they will all be honest. And given their admissions that there is no justification - other than profit - for 40% of their production being in China, they seem to be capable of honesty.
Could this index be applied to all products, in the same way we have nutritional info on food? It will be an interesting case study to look at any impact/skew on sales after the ratings are introduced...if the info is there in front of consumers at the point of purchase does it have a real impact - or are 'dinner party ethics' ignored rather than forgotten once in store?
Full article in the Times at http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8209-2483658,00.html
