Acho lists numerous environmental activities at Ford that have a direct financial benefit. For instance, by switching from wooden to plastic reusable containers for car parts, the company saved up to US$ 4 per engine; the move also improved product quality because there was less dust in the paint shops. Similarly, the company planted trees around a new plant in Brazil to replace those chopped down -- and consequently lowered the temperature inside the plant, saving energy costs. Another scheme, involving Born Again Binders, which reused ring binders in the company’s HQ, saved over $ 100,000. “It makes sense to be green, even if you don’t care about the environment,” says Acho.

The Body Shop saw the benefits of a green approach when it was founded in the 1970s. “The business was very much founded on the personal values of Anita and Gordon Roddick,” says Nicky Amos, Head of Corporate Responsibility. “They had strong principles in protecting human rights and the environment. They also had to be frugal. As a start up they couldn’t spend much on packaging. Bottles were reused because there weren’t enough to go round, and shop interiors were simple because they were cheap.”

If companies have finally realized the financial benefits of cleaning up their act, their next question is how else to turn these efforts to their advantage. They want to communicate their efforts to customers and investors, perhaps through a new responsible brand.

“When this began, the mere fact that you had a policy was a differentiator,” says Ecos’ Hogarth. “Now it is more sophisticated, and depends more on what you are actually doing.” You can’t kid the more environmentally conscious consumer anymore by just adding a dash of CSR magic to your marketing. “Consumers get furious about greenwashing. You can’t just badge products as green. You need to get your own house in order. The marketing challenge for business begins inside the company. If you can’t convince your own staff then you’ll never convince consumers,” Hogarth cautions.

“You shouldn’t make CSR part of a brand unless you are walking the talk,” agrees Collings at Corporate Edge. “You should only talk about CSR if you really are measuring and managing your social and environmental performance. It can otherwise cause serious reputational damage.” She describes the experience of her client adidas, which has worked at managing its supply chain to ensure CSR carries right through the organization’s activities. “Nothing has been communicated to the public, but somehow the company has differentiated itself. The fact that you do the right thing rather than saying you are doing it -- somehow it seeps out. There’s a huge risk if you try to make something of CSR -- people will always try to prove you wrong.”

Edwin Colyer is a science and technology writer based in Manchester, UK.