This Sunday The Observer published a report about working conditions in Cambodia, in factories supplying retailers including Next and Arcadia.

McProspects launches

The Independent's Martin Hickman announced the new film of Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation starring Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette. I read the book one Sunday in 2003, I think. I can't imagine how it will translate into film. However, McDonald's replied this week with the launch of a McProspect campaign to convince people that they offer decent jobs and other benefits. Newsnight featured our research Wed 19th in their report on the new initiative. I'm looking forward to see what difference it makes to people's impressions of McDonalds.

PWC on Corporate responsibility

In a report with a title and a half, "Corporate Responsibility: Strategy, Management and Value", this chimes, "companies must formulate a clear strategy for behaving responsibly and integrate that strategy within their core business operations... Second, they must adhere to the values and standards they have articulated for themselves. Long-term sustainable performance does not come from proclaiming a code of conduct but from putting it into daily action".

Body Shop fights image battle

Following news posted last week, Body Shop have announced they are looking for a UK PR agency to handle the issues surrounding the L'Oreal buy out.

McKinsey sums it up

I'll admit, sometimes I don't quite get all the shapes and flow diagrams in their articles, but for me this McKinsey report ,"When social issues become strategic" sums the business arguments for corporate responsiblity particularly well. This bit especially good summary of why corporate communications should respond, "businesses have never been insulated from social or political expectations. What's different today is the intensifying pressure and the growing complexity of the forces, the speed with which they change, and the ability of activists to mobilize public opinion.Yet even as the social contract evolves, the typical corporate response appears to have become increasingly flat footed".

Wal-mart takes steps to change image

Wal-mart plans changes to the development of its stores in an effort, its reported, not to drive out smaller business.

Britvic reports falling sales of fizzy drinks

Heard this on the radio too this morning. The Guardian reports that Britvic sales of fizzy drinks have fallen in response to consumer demand for healthier drinks. This appears to be a trend that has been reported before, and was noted as far back as 2003/2004, but today's news is in line with what I've found that soft drinks manufacturers ethics are rated poorly and the main reason is because, "their products are detrimental to children". Jamie Oliver's school dinners has been an important factor in fuelling the debate about children's diet and health. How should manufacturers respond?

Good reputation helps staff retention

This article in The Advertiser from Adelaide caught my eye about employees being more likely to stay with a company if that company has a good reputation and staff feeling better if the company they work for is highly regarded and treats them fairly and responsibly.

Launch day and lots of phone calls

Launched the study today and have had a lot of interest so far, phone calls from companies featured on the study, only one of them saying you're not going to publish any of this stuff, are you? Should I be putting my lawyer on speed dial do you think? The aim is not to cause controversy - the opposite in fact - this information is going to help companies communicate better with their consumers.