A new report from Accountability argues that responsible business practice is becoming an increasingly important driver of national and regional competitiveness in Europe.

The report, "Responsible Competitiveness: Reshaping Global Markets Through Responsible Business Practices," suggests that corporate responsibility may indeed be a driver of a country’s - or a region’s - competitiveness.

In compiling the index, AccountAbility first assessed the state of corporate responsibility in over 80 nations around the world by examining criteria including corruption, civic freedom, environmental management and corporate governance in each country. The results of this research were then combined with the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Competitiveness Index to produce the index.

According to the results, the Nordic countries dominate the top of the list suggesting they are achieving sustainable economic growth based on responsible business practices. Germany, Portugal, Greece and Hungary see “falls” in their relative competitiveness levels when corporate responsibility data is incorporated, as do the United States, China and Japan.

Most Eastern European nations trail their Western partners, although Estonia is ranked ahead of several Western European countries (including France, Ireland, Spain and Italy) primarily on the strength of its environmental management record.

AccountAbility will be hosting an event to discuss the report's implications on January 20, 2006, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, at The World Bank, 1850 I Street, N.W. I Building, Rm I-1-200, Washington, D.C. Click here for event details and invitations.

To download an executive summary or a full copy of the report, visit www.accountability.org.uk/rc.