Five Stages of STAGE 3: STAGE 4: Corporate Social Responsibility SUSTAINABILITY SUSTAINABILITY DRIVES BUSINESS EMERGES IN INNOVATION CULTURE ~ 9,933 The UN’s Global Impact initiative has made great strides in 2,600 Brands that are known for “being green” or “being good” are companies (and enabling brands to be more sustainability driven by aligning businesses have recognized as so by their employees and consumers because their respective met the perfor- brands) from their CSR activities to a sustainable development goal, but there mance, trans- they have built end-to-end cultures of sustainability within the 160 countries parency and are currently is still more to do in these businesses. In these situations, brands accountability company. In these cases, many brands choose to outwardly members of requirements the UN Global may align one of their product lines to an SDG. For example, to become make their commitment known through certifications such Compact – Certified B Cor- an initiative a food company may align one of their product SKUs to SDG porations.(12) as becoming a registered B Corp. While these brands may launched to align Goal 2 – Zero Hunger — but then not connect any of their other ―Forbes incorporate sustainable metrics into their financial reporting, businesses’ strategy with products to the initiative. In these cases, brands have certainly they still have room to grow. At this point in the brand’s social goals, and to support the Sustainable made progress in embedding genuine CSR in their ways of journey toward genuine CSR, they may start to feel the tension Development Goals.(11) working, but there is still an abundance of opportunity across of inherent capitalistic drive – balancing profit maximizing ―World the entire portfolio to make systemic change. initiatives with additional CSR-focused efforts across their Economic Forum 2019 supply chain. 20 21