For further information
Cheryl Kiser; 617.552.8948
Peggy Connolly; 617.552.0722
Email: ccc@bc.edu

November 18, 2003

Center for Corporate Citizenship and AccountAbility launch "Conversations with Disbelievers" web site

New web site on the business case for corporate responsibility
shares global experience and best practice

Chestnut Hill, MA...A new web site is providing the latest news and information from around the world about the business case for corporate responsibility.

The site, www.conversations-with-disbelievers.net, is a unique on-line initiative led by The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College and AccountAbility, a UK-based corporate responsibility and sustainable development organization, in partnership with 10 other like-minded organizations located around the world.

The web site feature case studies in corporate responsibility best practice from businesses from around the world. Among the companies featured are IBM, Marks & Spencer, National Grid Transco, Suez, Tesco, Timberland, Vauxhall Motors and Unilever. The case studies are included on the strength and persuasiveness of their business case, rather than simply their public relations value.

“Corporate citizenship, or corporate responsibility, describes a company’s total interaction with the community and how its actions impact employees, customers, shareholders and the communities where its employees and customers live,” said Stanley S. Litow, IBM Vice President of Corporate Community Relations. “Great companies--real leaders--have a set of beliefs that define their corporate culture and sustain a company over time. Great companies also have core values of integrity and trust which translate into actions that benefit communities.” Business, in partnership with communities, is demonstrating a heightened interest in the issue of corporate responsibility, and some companies are emerging as new leaders in the field.

“But there is much more that can be done,” Litow continued. “All leaders need to recognize that there is a real business case for corporate responsibility. The conversations with disbelievers web site is an incredibly useful tool for understanding the issue and for sharing knowledge about corporate responsibility.”

The CWD web site carries the latest corporate responsibility news, case studies, and issue-based research on the business case. The web site is an interactive learning and education tool that is translated into five languages-- English, French, Hebrew, Portuguese and Spanish--with more to follow. It has been designed to become the leading on-line “clearing house” for matching information seekers with providers of data. Large parts of the CWD website are open access along with member only sections with registered participants interested in additional learning support such as “special reports."

The web site will assist people already working within the corporate responsibility arena and those people who are addressing, for the first time, corporate responsibility issues within their workplace thrown up by the increased expectations of their customers, pressure groups, business partners, government and shareholders. It increases the levels of international data on corporate responsibility and helps champion the issues on a far wider geographical spread.

Partner organizations in the initiative are: African Institute of Corporate Citizenship (South Africa), Centre for Social Markets (India), Empresa (Americas), European Baha’i Business Forum (France), Imagine (Canada), Instituto Ethos (Brazil), Laufer Green Isaac (USA), Maala (Israel), US Chamber of Commerce (USA) and WWF (United Kingdom).

For further information:
The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College
Cheryl Kiser: 617.552.8948
Peggy Connolly: 617.552.0722
Email: ccc@bc.edu
Web: www.bc.edu/corporatecitizenship

AccountAbility
Vicky Murray/Mirahv Joseph
Tel: 00 44 (0) 20 7549 0400
Email: vicky@accountability.org.uk
mirahv@accountability.org.uk
Web: www.accountability.org.uk

The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College, part of the Carroll School of Management, provides research, executive education, consultation and convenings on issues of corporate citizenship. The Center has more than 300 corporate members across the globe. For more information, call The Center at 617.552.4545, or go to The Center's web site at www.bc.edu/corporatecitizenship.

AccountAbility's mission is to promote accountability for CSR and sustainable development. As a leading international professional institute, AccountAbility provides effective assurance and accountability management tools and standards through its AA1000 Series, offers professional development and certification, and undertakes leading-edge research and related public policy advocacy. It has embraced an innovative, multi-stakeholder governance model, enabling the direct participation of its organizational and individual members who span business, civil society organizations, and the public sector from different countries across the world.