KKR Green Portfolio

KKR’s CSR report revealed an expansion of their “Green Portfolio” program.
Image: KKR

Corporate Social Responsibility reports for 2012 are rolling in this summer, and after several years of reporting practices being common there is a lot of progress to report.  Every Fortune 500 company now produces such a report, which will lead the way to a more sustainable future.  Many CSR reports are presented on an interactive website that allows interested part to look up desired information quickly. Solid, easy to understand presentation will be good for investors and consumers new to understanding sustainability and will get us all closer to seeing universally adopted reporting standards.

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., KKR, released their CSR report earlier this month with an expanded Green Portfolio, internal engagement and larger partnerships.  Last year KKR reviewed over 400 companies for sustainability improvements.  The KKR Green Team also made efforts to reduce waste within the office and was able to reduce 60,000 water bottles from entering landfills, and saved the company $20,000 in waste.  KKR uses environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors in every investing plan and focuses on long term impact.  They also coach companies on how to reduce carbon emissions, be more energy and fuel efficient, and overall reduce negative impacts.  KKR owns over 60 companies and their impacts on the environment could have a profound effect.  As of today, 24 companies are enrolled in KKR’s Green Portfolio program, which has been able to reduce over a million tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

GM CSR

GM’s CSR Report focused on electric vehicles.
Image: GM

General Motors released their CSR report on July 11.  Electric vehicles are the main theme of the GM report, citing that rising fuel costs and the changing market will eventually cause all major automakers to produce electric vehicles.  That means GM will have to become a technology company as much as a car company.  While over 100 factories have achieved a “zero waste” status, the best thing about the GM report is that the company has a clear focus on its major impact on the environment, which is the fuel cars use while customers drive them.  The top of the report shows the gallons of gasoline saved by Chevy Volt drivers.  General Motors leads the country in clean energy patents and is the largest user of solar power in the automobile industry.  The best part of the report is the video of the future of transportation, complete with smart systems to improve congestion and traffic safety.

Other recent corporate social responsibility reports include Fluor Corporation, Sanofi, and Respol.  For more information on CSR, report alerts and more, check out Justmeans.com.