Executive Summary
Since we at Wider Sense and goetzpartners published our first study on the Corporate Citizenship activities of DAX companies in 2017 , the parameters for the private sector have fundamentally changed : in just four years , sustainability has become a mandatory matter for discussion and action at board level . The world ’ s social and environmental challenges have become even more acute – not least due to the COVID- 19 pandemic . Now , more than ever before , the state , financial markets , consumers and employees expect companies to assume social responsibility . Without an immediate and active input from businesses , society will not be able to tackle the major problems of our time . The grand project of the global community – expressed in the ‘ Sustainable Development Goals ’ ( SDGs ) – is in danger of failing .
We are by no means sounding the all-clear , but we are now seeing movement . Spurred on by new regulations such as the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act and the Supply Chain Act as well as increasing demand for ESG investments and massive pressure from consumers , the transformation of businesses towards greater sustainability has begun . However , Corporate Citizenship – the societal engagement of companies – has still not changed all that much . Yet Corporate Citizenship can become a laboratory for sustainable business development . It can generate new ideas , change public attitudes , appeal to emotions and , in partnership with the scientific community and civil society , address issues that are relevant to the core business . These include reducing the negative impact of plastics on the environment , reforestation or safeguarding human rights along the supply chain .
This study analyses the Corporate Citizenship activities of DAX40 companies . It shows that Corporate Citizenship as practised is currently still failing to grasp many opportunities . However , it also shows inspiring developments and examples of strategic engagement in which synergies with the core business are used to both the benefit of society and the advancement of commercial success . The study applies the tried-and-tested approach of Wider Sense and goetzpartners along the dimensions of strategy , resources , implementation and results . It is based on an extensive analysis of publicly available information as well as qualitative interviews with experts and representatives of 28 DAX companies . I
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