Our society is undergoing a transformation that is driving fundamental change across all sectors. The rapid progression of crises, the volatility of established structures, and the growing complexity and unpredictability of events define this new reality. Companies, in particular, are directly affected by these developments. In light of the societal disruptions they create, stakeholders expect businesses to act proactively and to follow clearly defined and transparently communicated principles.
FleishmanHillard’s Corporate Citizenship Study examines these changes through the lens of sustainability communications. It makes clear that traditional CSR measures are no longer sufficient to meet the expectations of investors, customers, NGOs, policymakers, and an increasingly critical public. Sustainability must instead be embedded in core business strategy. A company’s broader societal impact and its financial performance must be viewed and managed as an integrated whole. A comprehensive approach to corporate citizenship safeguards the license to operate, protects against reputational damage, and strengthens resilience in the face of current and future crises.
Fig. 1: A comprehensive corporate citizenship approach requires business and sustainability strategies to be aligned and managed as one, adapted from: https://media-publications.bcg.com/BCG-Total-Societal-Impact-Oct-2017.pdf
„Risk and reputation management are becoming increasingly complex. Regardless of which past or current crisis has dominated public attention, the time it takes for questions about corporate responsibility to arise is getting shorter. Ultimately, a company’s license to operate is at stake. At the same time, the great transformation creates new opportunities for organizations that integrate changing conditions early into their business and communications strategies.” – Hanning Kempe, CEO Deutschland
About the Corporate Citizenship Study
leishmanHillard’s Corporate Citizenship Study explores societal transformation from a sustainability communications perspective. It analyzes both transformative processes and their implications for businesses. Based on this environmental analysis, we conclude that companies must take responsibility for the intended and unintended consequences of their economic activities.
Building on this foundation, we develop a definition of comprehensive corporate citizenship that integrates key sustainability standards while remaining flexible enough to reflect company- and industry-specific characteristics. A holistic approach to corporate citizenship preserves the license to operate, protects against reputational risks, and enhances resilience in times of crisis.
Drawing on this theoretical framework, we analyze 13 selected companies to examine how they define, implement, and communicate corporate citizenship. The study identifies key success factors at both the strategic and communications levels. These findings are applicable to organizations of all industries and sizes.
