Feb. 13, 2008 - Companies with strong records for corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance are missing out on a key opportunity for attracting top talent, according to a new survey by Edelman, a public relations firm. The report, which assesses trends and best practices in CSR communications, finds that companies frequently overlook the importance of prospective employees as a target audience for their corporate responsibility message.

There is growing evidence that job seekers favor employment opportunities at more responsible companies. A 2007 survey of members in the business group Net Impact found that 60.3% would be "very likely" to leave their current position if another job at the same responsibility and salary level opened up at a more socially responsible company. Another recent study found that 75% of the world's top MBA students consider corporate reputation when deciding where to work.

Despite these findings, 62% of respondents in the Edelman survey said their company's recruitment materials fail to emphasize CSR information. "Corporate communicators could do much more to leverage corporate responsibility as a recruiting tool," the report concludes, noting that many job seekers now research a company's CSR performance prior to applying for employment.

The report was developed in collaboration with the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, Net Impact, and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. Download it here (PDF).