Corporate Environmental Responsibility

Introduction to Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER)

Traditionally, industry has been accused of sacrificing sustainable development in the pursuit of short-term profit. Yet today, under the banner of Corporate Environmental Responsibility (CER), a growing number of business organizations are claiming to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

Understanding CER and Its Goals

So, what is this emerging phenomenon of CER and what does it aspire to achieve? How pervasive is it and what are its implications for both business and the environment?

Scope of the Collection

This collection of essential articles and papers maps the development of the CER concept, traces the principal debates concerning its contribution to environmental protection, assesses the evidence as to what extent corporations are seeking to "do well by doing good" and explains why some companies have gone down this path when others, similarly situated, have been unwilling to do so.

Key Questions

In essence, it asks: what has CER accomplished, what can it accomplish, and what is beyond its reach?