From social responsibility to social responsiveness

In her book The High-Purpose Company, Christine Arena dispels common myths about CSR and demonstrates how and why certain approaches succeed while others fail — drawing on extensive research of 75 companies that invest millions annually in the practice. The book enables readers to easily distinguish between true and false corporate responsibility, and also lays out a strategic path toward positive change and superior performance. According to Publishers Weekly, "(Arena's) well-presented evidence buttresses a forceful argument that companies that care about more than making money can still succeed."

In this podcast, Linda Dunkel and Christine Arena discuss the integral link between collaboration and corporate responsibility effectiveness. "The companies producing the very best quality social, environmental and economic returns from their CSR investments — including IKEA, Patagonia, Eileen Fisher, Wegmans Food Markets and others — have highly collaborative cultures," explains Arena. "This is no coincidence. In order for coherent CSR strategies to flourish, consensus must be built and organizational silos must break down so that everyone in the company can begin working together towards a common goal or higher purpose."