issue 9 - Roland Berger

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DOSSIER #09 Best of European Business 40
More trust in business will make young people more entrepreneurial DOSSIER #09 Assume more responsibility! DISTRUST IN BIG BUSINESS IS GROWING WORLDWIDE. JOSÉ MANUEL BARROSO, PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, THEREFORE URGES COMPANIES TO STEP UP THEIR CSR EFFORTS, WHICH IS ALSO IS IN THEIR OWN BEST CORPORATE INTEREST. IN THIS GUEST COLUMN, THE EMINENT EUROPEAN WARNS THAT POLICY-MAKERS AND BUSINESS MUST COOPERATE MORE STRONGLY. s José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, PRESENTS HIS CSR VISION EXCLUSIVELY TO THE THINK:ACT COMMUNITY CREATING THE RIGHT CONDITIONS for economic growth and for job creation is a top priority for the European Union. Only by achieving the objectives of the Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs can we defend and advance those goals that are so important to us as Europeans—sustainable development, the abolishment of social exclusion and a better quality of life for all. A greater commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays an essential role in the drive for a more competitive Europe. This is why the G8 summit to be hosted by Germany this June has growth and responsibility as its twin themes. The two go together. I would like to welcome the initiative of the European Business Summit and think:act magazine to put the spotlight on CSR. Social responsibility should be regarded as one of the core challenges for companies in today’s Europe. IN MARCH 2006 the European Commission called on the European business community to further intensify its commitment to social responsibility and provided strong backing to the launch of the European Alliance on CSR. It has long been proven that social and ecological engagement can go hand in hand with commercial success. With CSR, businesses can attract the attention of employees or motivate them, just as it can help to support brand image and build consumer loyalty. Growing attention to social and environmental <strong>issue</strong>s, and increasing cooperation with other stakeholders, are catalysts for companies to develop new products and new business models. Investors and consumers have good reason to encourage a greater adaptation of CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility can also help to address the growing lack of public trust in the business world, as indicated by alarming studies. Businesses are unlikely to thrive in the long term if, collectively and individually, they do not command the trust of citizens. How are young people to develop more entrepreneurial spirit if they are brought up in a society where the very trust for enterprises is on the wane? Credible and transparent CSR practices, properly coordinated with other stakeholder groups, are one possible answer. COMPANIES THAT EXERCISE CSR can contribute to important public policy objectives. Good examples of this are qualification, lifelong learning and maintaining employability. Investments made by companies in the skills development and ongoing training of their employees are evidently in the company interest. But they also serve a wider social and economic purpose, namely helping us to remain competitive in the global knowledge economy. Similarly, enterprises with diversity policies, whereby they are actively recruiting more people from disadvantaged groups, also create job markets. In these markets, the groups are integrated and social exclusion is reduced. Another example is investments in ecologically motivated innovations and environmental management systems that allow for a more rational use of natural resources and reduced levels of pollution at the same time. 41
Page 1 and 2: ROLAND BERGER STRATEGY CONSULTANTS
Page 3 and 4: think: act the global magazine for
Page 5 and 6: contents f food for thought 6 Viva
Page 7 and 8: highly qualified people profit from
Page 9 and 10: deregulation and competition have g
Page 11 and 12: europe has the real opportunity to
Page 13 and 14: no more grand narratives, claims ti
Page 15 and 16: george clooney likes la dolce vita
Page 17 and 18: from good old bavaria to the new wo
Page 19 and 20: ad weather as a source of identity?
Page 21 and 22: how much regulation is necessary? f
Page 23 and 24: Dossier #09 BEST OF EUROPEAN BUSINE
Page 25 and 26: Diversity is not necessarily an adv
Page 27 and 28: Companies are more successful that
Page 29 and 30: Only service elements make companie
Page 31 and 32: Standards make the difference DOSSI
Page 33 and 34: Davos in Brussels: The European Bus
Page 35 and 36: A continent on the path to itself D
Page 37 and 38: Business travelers accept the no-fr
Page 39: Pernod Ricard’s takeover of Allie
Page 43 and 44: Want to reduce your risk? Invest in
Page 45 and 46: Europe’s most successful companie
Page 47 and 48: Distribution is what really matters
Page 49 and 50: Growth needs to be top priority for
Page 51 and 52: Traditional companies are on the ro
Page 53 and 54: Asia: a place to grow, not a threat
Page 55 and 56: the 1986 “big bang” launched lo
Page 57 and 58: wall street banks still dominate—
Page 59 and 60: tackling the climate change industr
Page 61 and 62: does the world need another lingua
Page 63 and 64: average age: 25 business culture f
Page 65 and 66: international central banks are buy
Page 67: THE BEB CELEBRATIONS 1 Warsaw: Artu

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