The majority of companies in the S&P 100 communicate their sustainability goals and progress via a microsite set up specifically for the purpose, according to a new study.
The study, released by SIRAN, a working group of the Social Investment Forum, found that 86 of the 100 now have corporate sustainability website,s compared to just 58 in 2005 - an increase of 48%.
In addition, nearly half (49%) of these companies produced a sustainability report in 2007, up 26% from 2005. Most appear to be aligning their sustainability performance measurements with Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards. The number of companies referencing GRI indices in their reports has jumped 70% over the past three years, to 34.
"“Our hope is that this trend continues, and that more companies realize the full potential of communicating transparently," says Katy Chapdelaine, senior research analyst at KLD, which conducted the study. "Sustainability reporting is an important means through which corporations can communicate challenges, goals, and progress on issues that are critical to their industries and stakeholders.”
A wide variety of companies are experimenting with green microsites as a means of connecting with stakeholders on sustainability issues. Many feature information on green products, as with Bissel's Get a Little Greener site and Patagonia's eco-footprint website. Others use such sites as an opportunity to gauge consumer attitudes and expectations for their green efforts, as with IKEA Canada's "The IKEA Way." Still others harness the web's use of sound and video as well as text, as Anheuser-Busch does by posting its green-themed ads online.
For tips on building a better green website for your company, click here.
via | Sustainable Media Life
