The issue
This international company provides diagnostic reagents and equipment, and a range of wider services to hospitals and research organisations globally. It has research and production facilities in Europe, North America and China. The company firmly believes it must embrace CSR to maintain its license to operate. The Chief Executive is a personal advocate of CSR and sustainability, and seeks to lead the company to a position at the top of its sector.
In the first instance the company sought help to:
- Define what CSR means for the organisation;
- Map current CSR activity across the operations;
- Understand stakeholder expectations of the company; and
- Develop a road map for CSR.
Our approach
We interviewed senior managers from across the business in order to understand their perspectives of CSR, and the key challenges and opportunities for the company. We examined existing processes of governance, management and data collection, and compared them to best practice.
We sought the perspective of a range of the company’s stakeholders through interviews, workshops and media searches. The company participated in the workshop we held with the ethical investment community, and found it an invaluable first step in establishing a longer term relationship with the analysts.
Our recommendations and CSR road map were presented to senior management, and we then assisted the company to implement our recommendations.
The outcome
The company has made great progress in implementing our recommendations. It has established an international CSR Committee, is in the process of rolling out a global programme for community giving and volunteering, and is actively seeking to incorporate principles of CSR into its human resources and environment, health and safety processes. The client will produce its second CSR based report in 2004.
The external perspective we provided assisted the organisation in understanding the steps it needs to take, and in “selling” these ideas internally. Company representatives have presented PwC’s findings to a number of stakeholder groups, for example pension fund trustees, which has raised awareness and provided opportunities for discussion. We continue to support the company on an advisory basis.
