Criticised companies come top in CSR reporting

A number of criticised companies have come out at the top of a new report into corporate social responsibility reporting.

British American Tobacco and Royal Dutch Shell have come out on top of a survey of a report to be published at the end of the week by CSR consultancy Salter Baxter.

Nestlé, which was previously criticised for its marketing of baby milk, and mining groups BHP Billiton and Xstrata were among the top European-listed companies, reported the Guardian.

The top companies were moving beyond housekeeping to deal with the complex issues they face.

Nigel Salter, a director at Salter Baxter, said the firm would not work for BAT but defended the intentions of the report.

Slater said: 'What we are not trying to do is judge whether they are a good or bad business. Based on their communications they are talking about real actions and real activities they are involved in.'

Sir Jonathon Porritt, the chairman of the government's Sustainable Development Commission, told the paper: 'Any case of so-called leading companies in CSR that includes BAT is a sick joke.'

Further reading:

Read the Guardian's story

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