This major report – the result of two years’ research – argues that responsible business practice is becoming an important driver of national and regional competitiveness.

It includes:

A wealth of case studies from around the world demonstrating that many industries are now using responsible business practices to establish a competitive edge in their markets and contribute to the growth of their national economy.

The Responsible Competitiveness Index: an investigation of the relationship between corporate responsibility and competitiveness. It reveals which countries are achieving sustainable economic growth based on responsible business practices.

The National Corporate Responsibility Index: the world’s first assessment of the state of corporate responsibility internationally. The index assesses over 80 countries on criteria including corruption, civic freedom, corporate governance and environmental management to establish a global ranking.

A robust policy framework to assist governments and businesses in building responsibility issues into their competitiveness strategies.

New proposals for policy and further research.

‘Responsible business practices are no longer just a desirable luxury for global corporations and wealthier nations. They are an increasingly powerful competitive pre-requisite and opportunity for emerging economies to advance their business communities into the heart of the global economy,’ said Simon Zadek, CEO of AccountAbility and one of the report’s authors.

Responsible Competitiveness was produced in association with leading Brazilian business school, Fundaçăo Dom Cabral (FDC) and the UN Global Compact and is supported by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

AccountAbility would like to thank the following who assisted in the production of the report: the European Commission, Centre for Social markets, Confederation of Indian Industry, African Institute of Corporate Citizenship, Insituto Ethos, UniEthos, ProHumana, UK Department for Trade and Industry.