International Business Leaders Forum's MD Adrian Hodges was speaking at the annual International Public Relations Association Summit 2007 this week.
Hodges said that a rash of companies were launching CSR initiatives because their competitors were doing it - what he called a ‘me-too mentality'.
‘Companies are just wanting to tick the CSR box but it is encouraging superficiality,' he said. ‘It doesn't appear to have an apparent benefit except to ease the company's conscience.'
Hodges, a former worldwide head of corporate comms for Body Shop, said that companies should own up to the real reasons why they are looking at doing CSR.
‘They are too shy to say that they are expecting business benefits. Companies need to be transparent about all of their motives behind doing CSR.'
