CSR and the environment climb list of corporate priorities

CSR and environmental performance is the top priority for a significant minority of European firms, according to a new survey of over 4,500 business execs.

Released yesterday, the survey from internet service provider Easynet asked business execs from eight Western European countries which corporate concern was their firm's top priority. Unsurprisingly, customer service and profits were most commonly identified as the top corporate priority, but up to a third of respondents in some countries claimed CSR or green initiatives were their employer's main concern.

In the UK, a tenth of respondents said that green initiatives were their employer's top priority with a further nine per cent claiming CSR concerns dominated the corporate agenda.

A similar proportion of French, Italian, Spanish, Belgium and Dutch execs claimed CSR and green concerns topped the list of corporate priorities. However, German and Swiss employees revealed an even more widespread commitment to CSR and green initiatives, with almost a third of those surveyed claiming such initiatives were their firm's top priority.

The report argued that the high proportion of businesses ensuring environmental concerns take precedence over other corporate interests " suggested that modern businesses are taking a more holistic view of their role in the economy".

"Businesses appreciate that an investment in other areas can lead to a more motivated workforce, happier customers and a strong reputation – all of which result in more sustainable, long-term financial success," the report concluded.