IBM's CSR Consulting Leader Jeff Hittner talks about second annual global corporate social responsibility survey of senior executives again shows significant gaps between their goals and their ability to attain them. While most remain committed to incorporating CSR principles into their business strategies, they aren't collecting and analyzing enough of the right data to make changes to their business operations. In addition, few are collecting CSR data from suppliers and most don't understand their customers' concerns about green and sustainability issues.

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Placing an added emphasis on corporate social responsibility and ensuring it is at the core of a business' strategy can yield financial benefits, according to a study from IBM. The survey, "Attaining Sustainable Growth Through Corporate Social Responsibility," indicates many companies now view CSR as a growth opportunity and not just a regulatory compliance. Sixty-eight percent of those surveyed say they are using CSR activities to help generate revenue. In addition, many companies also view these types of initiatives as a way to gain a competitive advantage and access new business opportunities. Increased awareness by consumers on issues from climate change to product safety is, in part, driving corporate concern for these issues, according to the survey. In turn, the increased visibility of corporate behavior is influencing consumers' decisions on what to buy and who to buy from, who to work for, who to partner with and where to invest. The survey is based on responses from top executives at more than 250 companies worldwide.

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"Person on the street" interviews about how consumers are using the Internet to educate themselves about what to buy and who to buy it from.

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