Sustainability and Transparency - Business or Bulls***?

These two words, sustainability and transparency, have been rising from the horizon of greedy consultants for years. Now it looks like they are finally breaking through the clutter (also a hot word among most experts). Is corporate social responsibility through transparency and sustainability just another way to sell more consulting services to companies or it is something that actually makes any sense (money)?

Most of it is just hype. Bloggers, agencies, consultants and authors are trying to find their latest niche to cash in. Today in 2009 hot words are sustainability, transparency and CSR. "Hey, what's you CSR strategy?" sounds a lot cooler than asking how much your sales has grown after you started working with that new agency? Many managers will fall into this trend topic hype just because everyone else seems to be doing it as well. And you don't want stand out from the crowd, do you?

However, if you are serious about the social responsibility, there are genuine companies who can help you. I hope they can turn their social agenda into money as well. That would make buying their services a lot easier for clients.

For more information about companies who seem to be sincere about trying to change to the world through transparency and sustainability. Check out these links.

Glasshouse Partnership

Saatchi & Saatchi