About

WHWG CR helps clients define and achieve corporate responsibility goals the areas of compliance, competition and communications.

Compliance

More than 110 companies in the Fortune 500 that have joined the UN Global Compact, and companies today are increasingly signing on to these “social compacts” and other agreements in order to demonstrate their commitment to CR objectives. We help clients examine the value  of participating in such agreements through:

• Impact analysis: A business and econometric analysis of CR options, including voluntary industry codes, reporting standards and CR agreements;
• Compliance review: An in-depth, private assessment of a company’s compliance with CR agreements and compacts and recommended next steps;
• NGO review: Advise clients in choosing an NGO partner who will help advance the firm’s CR goals in alignment with the core business.

Competition

We believe that CR decisions require the same rigor and due diligence as any other strategic business decision. This includes a thorough understanding of the competition, industry standards and evolving trends. WHWG CR provides actionable business recommendations to help shape CR strategy:

• Competitive analysis: Research and analysis of competitors’ CR activities, customer and shareholder perceptions, supplier feedback, and media response, including how these relate to product positioning and corporate strategy and where a company stands in relation to its competitors.
• Industry analysis: An evaluation of current and emerging industry standards, in the markets where a company is active or may be entering (e.g., EU, China, Latin America), and relevant CR requirements that financial institutions in those regions may impose on borrowers.
• Forecasting: An assessment of evolving industry, media, and social expectations and forthcoming requirements in a dynamic global environment.

Communications

CR communications is a way to help achieve business goals, enhance a company’s brand and positively position a company in an environment of heightened regulatory and public scrutiny.

As formal CR reporting against benchmarks becomes increasingly important, WHWG CR can also prepare reports that not only meet requirements but work as powerful communications tools to enhance corporate reputations.

• Strategic Alignment/Strategic Partners: Identify the social issues that clients are uniquely capable of addressing and that will create the greatest opportunities and competitive advantage; help create strategic alliances with the experts and organizations to carry out a program of action.

• External/Internal communications: Promote CR activities with key audiences (media, stockholders, suppliers, customers, stakeholders), position current activities in light of CR concerns and develop internal communications strategy to build a CR culture.
• Strategic alliances: Leverage relations among those with influence and elite audiences (think tanks, academics, NGOs, columnists, business journalists) to communicate CR messages within opinion-making circles.
• CR Reporting: Prepare annual CR reports and supporting documents to not only communicate CR results but to enhance a client’s reputation in the market and among elite audiences.