The Role of Metrics and ROI in Corporate Responsibility

By Kevin_Moss on September 10, 2009 2 Comments BT Americas, business case, corporate responsibility, corporate social responsibility, CRS Perspectives.metrics, CSR, GE, GE Citizenship Report, Kevin Moss, metrics, quantification, Resetting Responsibilities, return on investment, ROI, sustainability

“Metrics, metrics and more metrics. In many ways metrics drive the success of business. Multiple variables can be condensed to the common denominator of dollars and cents, pounds and pence. Many business failures could have been avoided for want of a business case. But, the specificity of metrics also allow us to persuade ourselves that there is more science and more certainty than there may really be and that we fully understand the complex interactions of the real world. There are solid business cases behind some of the most spectacular business failures – perhaps those where metrics were allowed to lead decisions rather than inform them.