NEW YORK: PR Newswire (PRN) has partnered with CSRwire, a source of CSR and sustainability news, allowing both organizations to reach new audiences with their services.
PRN will now have access to the NGOs, CSR groups, and other organizations that are among CSRwire's client base. CSRwire will reach the 43,000 PRN clients globally. CSRwire will also have access to PRN's technology, including ProfNet.
“We have heard from customers over the past couple of years that, increasingly, they would like more information about the work done for the environment, diversity, and other issues that fall under the umbrella of CSR,” said David Armon, COO of PRN.
The relationship is also a union of like minds.
“Any partnership has to be philosophically aligned,” said Joe Sibilia, president of CSRwire. “The partnership with [PRN] has to do with the alignment of our values.”
“[Sibilia] lives and breathes this stuff,” adds Armon. “It's not just another list. It's a true commitment.”
CSRwire had worked with Business Wire (BW) from 2005 through early 2007, but the companies don't agree on why their partnership ended.
“Exclusivity is not in concert with our mission,” said Sibilia. “What's in concert is to raise awareness. We'd be happy to continue to work with them.”
“If someone else wants to engage with [CSRwire], they should,” continued Armon.
BW, which has since launched its own CSR Circuit, called the split a “business decision.”
“The issue of exclusivity was, by no means, the main factor,” said Phyllis Dantuono, COO of BW. “After working with them for a few years, we determined that it was in our best interest and the best interest of our clients to do our own distribution.”
Since founding CSRwire in 1999, Sibilia says the public imperative that companies do philanthropic work and the appetite for information about those efforts has grown. He's looking forward to all of the benefits that this new relationship has to offer.
“This collaboration allows us to move beyond the traditional newswire,” said Sibilia.
