July 1, 2008 – No longer content simply to give customers the tools they need to assess their environmental performance, IBM has launched a consulting service to help companies assess the effectiveness of their environmental policies, and other CSR-related activities.

"Operating a business ethically and environmentally is not only a requirement today, but also an opportunity -- companies that demonstrate they adhere to the highest societal expectations of conduct have a significant advantage in attracting consumers, investors and talent," says George Pohle, IBM vice president and global leader for business strategy consulting. "But in order to do that, companies must be able to accurately assess how well they meet those expectations now, and where and how to make improvements."

IBM’s new Corporate Social Responsibility Benchmarking Utility is based on data from a survey by IBM of c-level executives at more than 250 companies worldwide, which found that 68% of the executives surveyed see CSR as an opportunity to grow revenue and 54% believe it gives them a competitive advantage.

However, more than three quarters of those executives surveyed admitted they don't understand their customers' concerns about CSR, and only 17% are even asking them. This indicates that many companies need to analyze and improve their CSR practices to ensure they line up with what customers and other key stakeholders expect.

IBM has been branching out into the benchmarking business lately, unveiling a free datacenter energy efficiency tool and a new carbon management software tool in recent months.

IBM launched its Project Big Green in May 2007 with the aim of helping clients reduce cost and environmental impact from their IT operations via greener products and services. The company’s benchmarking utility is seen as an opportunity to promote these services among IBM customers.