REEEP

"Corporate responsibility is about ensuring that organisations manage their businesses to make a positive impact on society and the environment whilst maximising value for their shareholders."
Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept whereby organisations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment in all aspects of their operations.

This obligation is seen to extend beyond the statutory obligation to comply with legislation and sees organisations voluntarily taking further steps to improve the quality of life for employees and their families as well as for the local community and society at large.

REEEP is working within the CSR field to explain the positive impact that renewable energy and energy efficiency systems could have to an organisation's impact on society, the environment and our climate.

For example, REEEP is working with The Carbon Disclosure Project (www.cdproject.net), an independent not-for-profit organization holding the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world.  Thousands of organizations from across the world’s major economies measure and disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and climate change strategies through CDP, which then puts this information at the heart of financial and policy decision-making.

The core CDP report traditionally covers the FT 500 largest global companies.  Currently, a CDP project co-funded by REEEP is helping to widen its scope to poll the leading companies in China, Brazil, India and South Africa on their energy use and sourcing, energy efficiency and progress in reducing carbon intensity.

The aim is to generate a report for key stakeholders in early 2010, with analysis and recommendations for policy and investment on energy efficiency and renewable energy in each of the four countries, set in the context of wider action on climate change.

Another example of REEEP's efforts in CSR is the partnership's continued support for RETScreen, the free-of-charge decision making software made available by the Canadian government. It allows companies and project developers to assess the costs and the benefits associated with any clean energy project. REEEP has helped fund the translation of the software, which is now available in 35 languages and is used in over 222 countries and territories.