SKF best in Sweden on CSR

Wednesday, February 04, 2009

The annual ranking made by Hallvarsson & Halvarsson has nominated SKF Best Company in Sweden in presenting CSR information. SKF is the first Swedish company to receive a full score in the survey, followed closely by Boliden, Electrolux and Ericsson on a shared second place. The survey also reveals that 78 per cent of Europe’s 700 largest companies now work with CSR. In the ranking of countries Sweden receives a fifth listing and has thereby improved its listing somewhat from last year. 

The H&H Webranking, which each year ranks 700 corporate websites, reveals that more companies present CSR information compared to last year. 78 per cent communicate that they work with CSR compared to 73 per cent last year. Of the 150 largest companies in Europe the proportion is much higher and 97 per cent have a separate CSR section on their website.

By looking at different countries, companies in Finland receive the highest score followed by England and then the Netherland. Swedish companies come fifth compared to sixth last year. SKF receives a full score in the survey, which is the first time a Swedish company does so. Boliden, Electrolux and Ericsson came on a second place amongst the Swedish companies. Other Swedish companies with good ranking in this year’s ranking are ABB, Astra Zeneca, Atlas Copco and Skanska.

”We see more and more companies working with CSR. Many of the Swedish companies have now also become better at communicating their work in a transparent way. However many Swedish companies are lagging behind their European competitors”, says Tommy Borglund, Head of CSR at Hallvarsson & Halvarsson.

GRI increasingly popular

The global guidelines for reporting on CSR and sustainability issues (GRI) increase in popularity. 25 per cent of Europe’s 700 largest companies use GRI and among the 150 largest companies the proportion is even larger, 53 per cent. In Sweden a smaller fraction uses GRI, only 17 per cent of the 100 largest Swedish companies and 45 per cent of the 30 largest Swedish companies.

Increased demands

The demands of CSR related information from the financial market have increased during 2008. On average companies present half of what is expected of them. There is still a large gap between the demands of information from investors and what is actually presented on the websites.

”It is surprising that so many companies still do not present sufficient information according the market’s demand. We know that many companies value CSR issues and work diligently with this but the question lies on the message reaching its target, says Miriam Thunborg, Responsible of the survey at Hallvarsson & Halvarsson. 

”SKF, the winner of this year’s ranking in Sweden, clearly shows that the company works diligently with CSR issues; both in terms of amount of information and quality of the data, which the financial market requires”, says Miriam Thunborg.

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Webranking Spotlight Reports CSR

H&H Spotlight Report CSR describes how European companies from different countries and industries communicate CSR on the web. The report is an detailed CSR section of the H&H Webranking, Europe’s leading survey of corporate websites made annually since 1997. Each year approximately 700 websites (in English) are reviewed according to a protocol consistent of 139 criteria, including 12 CSR criteria. The result is published in business papers across Europe. The Sweden ranking includes 100 companies with a market value of BSEK 3. The protocol is founded on a survey given to investors, analysts and journalists. More information about H&H Spotlight Report CSR and H&H Webranking can be found on www.webranking.eu