Founded in 1995, Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (operating as CBSR) is a non-profit member organization with a mission to accelerate and scale corporate social and environmental sustainability in Canada and challenge the "business as usual" model. We believe companies are ready for this challenge and many are actively rethinking their business models to create long term shareholder and societal value.
Globally-recognized as one of the foremost organizations dedicated to influencing and advancing corporate citizenship in Canada, CBSR has amassed a rich history of experience, knowledge and credibility. In our 18 years of existence, we’ve helped hundreds of Canadian businesses advance their CSR efforts; convened numerous events across Canada including CBSR’s signature event Annual Summit; and developed leading research and reports on a wide variety of topics including climate change mitigation, CSR governance, aboriginal engagement, water management, and many more. Over the past decade this service to the Canadian business community was offered on a ‘one-to-one’ basis, with an emphasis on tailored advisory services programs for CBSR members.
In January 2013, CBSR has changed its mandate and business model to focus on being the premier network and key resource in Canada for companies large and small, researchers, opinion leaders and the media to advance corporate social responsibility and sustainability.
CBSR will no longer provide advisory services but will put its efforts into knowledge provision and networking to enable our Members and the wider corporate sustainability community to tackle the material environmental, social and broader economic challenges they face and to scale up efforts to integrate sustainability into their businesses.
As part of the new mandate, CBSR has also modified its membership structure by including membership opportunities for individuals and small and medium-sized businesses. SMEs are critical supply chain actors, sources of innovation, and are essential to achieving and scaling sustainability.
OUR APPROACH
Our approach to provide value to members is as follows:
1) Engage members to identify issues areas, and find common gaps and requirements to build capacity and knowledge.
2) Develop strategic partnerships that help to bridge member knowledge and skills gaps, by offering solutions and breakthrough knowledge for scaling sustainability.
3) Enable simple and intuitive access to cross-sectoral research and reports via the renewed cbsr.ca website, member-only newsletter, and social media channels.
4) Produce nationwide and local events to deepen the exchange of ideas, tackle priority issues, and inspire interdisciplinary connectivity and collaboration within the CBSR’s network.
5) Profile member stories of corporate citizenship excellence, enabling members become beacons of inspirations to peers, customers, and sectors.
MISSION
VISION
Our vision is that every Canadian company creates a positive social, environmental, economic impact on society. And to position Canada a global example of how companies address the biggest social, environmental and economic challenges of our time.
VALUES
C - Collaborative, creative, connected
B - Bold ideas, business-led, blended value
S - Social innovation, systems thinking, sustainability
R - Restorative, responsible, regenerative
TRANSFORMATIONAL COMPANY
In 2009, CBSR released the “Transformational CSR Framework and Approach” describing the continuum of CSR performance and characteristics of each stage of development.
In 2012, CBSR revisited this framework, and under the leadership of Coro Strandberg, CBSR Associate, conducted comprehensive research to identify the essential qualities of a Transformational Company for small, medium, and large companies that recognize the need to scale up their sustainability efforts. This framework is meant to provide inspiration and a roadmap for companies in the process of transforming their existing models toward sustainability.
We will continue to advance this work in 2013 and will be hosting a series of nation-wide learning and networking events that define how companies operationalize the Transformational Company qualities.
