Observers say a well-crafted report on corporate social responsibility can benefit a corporation in a number of ways, including perceived investor confidence and, perhaps most
significantly, positive brand recognition. PriceWaterhouseCoopers analysts have said that such disclosure can increase in share value as well as overall reputation.
These are tough benefits to quantify, but in the case of PotashCorp, the PR firm that produced the company's 2002 sustainability report found that their client experienced
direct benefits from the quality of the PR effort.
Specifically, PotashCorp has purchased a 26 percent interest in the Jordanian government-owned Arab Potash Company. In the course of negotiating that difficult transaction, the
Jordanian firm specifically cited its pleasure at seeing the sustainability document. "Potential investors actually realize that a good job of sustainability reporting actually
reflects a well managed company," says Roger Weller, creative director and brand strategist at PR firm FergusPeters.