In keeping with our commitment to work closely with the industry, the MPS in Public Relations and Corporate Communications hosted a panel discussion to announce the results of Fleishman-Hillard's second annual survey on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The event was held on May 9th at Georgetown University's Riggs Library. The panel, titled "Principles, Profits, and Politics: The Rise of Corporate Social Responsibility," was moderated by Robert Manuel, Dean of Georgetown's School of Continuing Studies, and featured Arianna Huffington, co-founder of HuffingtonPost.com, former U.S. Senator Jim Talent, (R-Mo.), Linda Golodner, president of the National Consumers League, National Journal columnist William Powers, and Pat Cleary, senior vice president of Communications for the National Association of Manufacturers. The panel, which was sponsored by Fleishman-Hillard Inc. and the National Consumers League, analyzed the implications of the survey for the 2008 elections.

The survey examined the public's expectations of corporate America and the perceived influence of political affiliation on corporate behavior. The survey also tracked the roles of media and technology in keeping the public informed of corporate social responsibility.

The survey found that, in general, Americans do not believe that corporate America operates in a socially responsible manner and that a majority of Americans, across the political spectrum, expect Congress to take a more active role in ensuring that companies address social issues. It also found that the average American is better informed about corporate social responsibility due to an increase in high-speed Internet access and user-generated content.

An executive summary of the survey is available at: http://www.csrresults.com/.

Social Responsibility is one of the focus areas of the Masters in Professional Studies. Associate dean, Denise Keyes is also a Senior Vice President at Fleishman-Hillard and is one of the leaders of their CSR practice. For more information about the Masters in Public Relations and Corporate Communications please call program assistant Ashley Duque Kienzle at (202)687-6049 or contact her at adk38@georgetown.edu.