Branded!
How the 'Certification Revolution' is Transforming Global Corporations
By: Michael E. Conroy
Published: June 1, 2007
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0865715793
ISBN-13: 978-0865715790
Publisher: New Society Publishers
"There is a movement afoot that has the potential to transform the way global corporations do their work", writes economist and independent consultant on sustainable development certification, Michael E. Conroy, in his visionary and corporate transformational book Branded! How the 'Certification Revolution' is Transforming Global Corporations. The author describes how the rapidly expanding 'certification movement' is creating a revolution in how leading corporations conduct business in a globalized economy.
Michael E, Conroy recognizes that a corporation's brands, and the images and promises both explicit and implicit within those brand names, are their most valuable assets. Because of the critical importance of these brand reputations, leading global companies are taking steps toward protecting their brands. In the process, the same corporations have discovered that improved social and environmental practices are also strengthening their company bottom lines. In effect, the revolution in global corporate thinking is leading to the realization that ethical and sustainable business is also good business practice. To ensure the cooperation of even more corporations, in this growing worldwide sea change, the very effective 'certification movement' was born.
Michael E. Conroy (photo left) understands the controversial position that certification creates for both sustainable development advocates and corporations. The author discusses the criticisms leveled against non-governmental organizations (NGO's) for forming alliances and agreements with multinational companies. Michael Conroy regards certification as simply part of an overall process toward social and environmental sustainability and responsibility. The process works in three general steps:
* Nonprofit organizations create new standards for corporate responsibility
* Companies move to adopt the standards through NGO pressure or market forces
* Standard setting organizations develop an effective certification method
Despite initial skepticism from both environmentalists and corporations, Michael Conroy points to the successes of the certification system. The author describes the concept as a growing movement, gaining acceptance from all stakeholders.
For me, the power of the book is how Michael E. Conroy makes a convincing case for the development and practice of the 'certification movement'. The author provides a theoretical framework that demonstrates not only how the certification process works, but why it operates so effectively. The author shares his ideas for strengthening the system and for expanding it to include more companies, nonprofit organizations, and a deeper understanding of social and environmental sustainability. The author calls for more transparency in the process, to ensure it works more effectively, and achieves its goals more efficiently. The author strengthens his book with research based evidence, resulting from a decade long study of certification, from all aspects of the concept.
Through a series of case studies, of real world corporations utilizing the certification system, Michael Conroy provides evidence of the effectiveness of the alliances. At the same time, the author offers evidence of growing acceptance of certification, as only one step in a journey toward more social and environmental concern, on the part of corporate leaders. The evidence that ethical behavior is also profitable behavior is compelling, and important for companies to recognize. Their brands are associated with their environmental, employee, and social activities, with bad behavior being punished in a growing environmentally aware marketplace. The author also looks to the future of certification, and its prospects for initiating and enhancing efforts toward alleviating poverty, environmental degradation, and employment conditions.
I highly recommend the comprehensive and definitive book Branded! How the 'Certification Revolution' is Transforming Global Corporations by Michael E. Conroy, to anyone seeking a guidebook to understanding the revolutionary and expanding 'certification movement'. The book presents the theory and best practices necessary to developing and implementing a certification system within any NGO and corporation.
Read the seminal and research based book Branded! How the 'Certification Revolution' is Transforming Global Corporations by Michael E. Conroy, and discover not only the power of certification, but also how alliances and partnerships between global companies and international organizations can result in greater social and environmental sustainability. The companies benefit through their brands being associated with sustainable practices, more profitability, and greater positive visibility. NGO's benefit through the achievement of their goals in harmony with companies, rather than through an adversarial role. The general public benefits through a healthier environment and greater social responsibility on the part of corporations.
