Toward a competency-based model for corporate citizenship management
The Boston College Center is pursuing a set of professional norms, competencies and standards for corporate citizenship. Through a consultative research process involving experts and leading corporate citizens, the Center has developed a set of leadership competencies for the corporate citizenship and community involvement roles. We are currently working on developing a self-assessment tool for practitioners to assess their level of competency in these two areas, as well as a competency development guide to provide actionable advice on how to develop the competencies needed for success in these roles. Click here for more information about the competencies project, or contact Sylvia Kinnicutt.

Impact Measurement 
The Impact Measurement Project is examining ways to measure the business impact of community involvement initiatives. Researchers are developing a step-by-step impact measurement framework that companies can use to calcualte the return on investment (ROI) of their initiatives. The framework and a workbook for companies to use in applying it will be available when the project is complete. Corporate sponsors of the project are  Aetna, Altria, Amway, Best Buy, Hewlett Packard, Intel, Lockheed Martin, Merck and Underwriters Laboratories. Click here for more information about the Impact Measurement Project or contact Allison Lee.

Corporate Foundations 2010: Charting the Future of Corporate Foundations in the 21st Century
The Center is currently fundraising for a new 18-month action research project designed to better understand the new operating environment for corporate foundations, as well as develop a vision and framework for how foundations can most effectively contribute to the ongoing development and evolution of corporate citizenship. We will work in partnership with the Council on Foundations, and plan to launch the project later in 2010. Specifically, the research will focus on three key questions:

1. What role should/can corporate foundations play in the development of the broader corporate citizenship agenda for their company?
2. How can corporate foundations help companies work in partnership with others to address systemic social challenges in ways that create value for the business and society?
3. How could corporate foundations be structured and managed to achieve greater impact?

To learn more about this project contact Allison Lee.

Global Practice of CSR
This ongoing study, with the Center’s partners in the Global Education Research Network, looks at corporate citizenship around the world. Earlier studies have looked at the context of corporate citizenship in various nations, as well the diverse landscape of global stakeholders. New research is beginning on the role of responsible leadership in global corporate citizenship. To learn more about this project contact Sylvia Kinnicutt.

Corporate Responsibility Roundtable
The Corporate Responsibility Roundtable is an initiative of the Center and Boston College Law School looking at the role of regulation in shaping and driving corporate responsibility and accountability. It will involve research into the field of corporate regulation and provide a platform for research and dialogue among public policy makers, corporate practitioners, academics, unions, and public interest organizations on fundamental issues and theories underlying corporate governance, corporate citizenship and regulation. To learn more about this project contact Chris Pinney.

Have a research idea for the Center? Contact Us