Corporate Responsibility Magazine Partners with The Humane Society of the United States to Drive Corporate Commitments at the COMMIT!Forum

Serves as a platform to engage companies in advancing vital interests

WASHINGTON & NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Corporate Responsibility (CR) Magazine announced its partnership with The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) for the CR COMMIT!Forum at the Javits Center in New York City on September 26-27, 2011. The HSUS joins other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in calling for commitments in three areas: Transparency & Reporting, Environmental Sustainability, and Shareholder & Competitive Advantage. These will drive the COMMIT!Forum program, where companies can learn about and ultimately sign these commitments, as the conversations started there continue far into the future.

“The COMMIT!Forum is a great opportunity for corporate leaders to learn about their customers’ concerns on this issue, and identify action steps to begin solving problems in their supply chains.”

While The HSUS is perhaps most well-known for its work to protect America’s pet population, the organization also works to curb “industrial” forms of animal cruelty, such as in agribusiness sectors. Through collaboration with leading restaurant chains, supermarkets, food manufacturers and foodservice companies, The HSUS has generated a groundswell of support for more humane farming conditions and helped shepherd in new, and better, treatment of farm animals. The HSUS helps companies thrive in today’s socially-conscious market by identifying methods for fitting animal welfare initiatives into existing business models and ways to capitalize on consumers’ growing concerns about where their food comes from.

“Working with partners like The Humane Society of the United States, we’ve identified food security as a core issue facing society where businesses can have a big impact,” said Richard Crespin, President of SharedXpertise, publishers of CR Magazine. “Through the COMMIT!Forum, we will work with The HSUS to educate companies on how they can play a role, offering them the chance to become directly engaged and make actionable commitments that they see through to fruition.”

The HSUS is specifically looking for companies to commit to improving food security as part of their campaign to eliminate the worst forms of animal abuse in agribusiness, such as the confinement of egg-laying hens in cages so small the birds can barely move and pigs in cages that don’t even allow them to turn around.

“As more and more consumers begin considering where their food comes from, the abuse of animals on factory farms has become a major social issue,” stated Matthew Prescott, director of corporate policy for The HSUS’ farm animal protection division. “The COMMIT!Forum is a great opportunity for corporate leaders to learn about their customers’ concerns on this issue, and identify action steps to begin solving problems in their supply chains.”

To see a full list of the commitments and NGO partners, please visit www.commitforum.com. When registering to attend the Forum, companies can declare a specific commitment or indicate their interest in learning more about commitments appropriate for them. CR Magazine will track and report every commitment made. At the COMMIT!Forum, media are invited to attend the conference’s closing press conference to hear about all the commitments made and CR Magazine will also cover progress made on the commitments in the weeks and months after the Forum.

About CR Magazine www.thecro.com CR Magazine is the only print publication covering the full range of corporate responsibility, providing decision-makers with the data and insights they need to maximize their positive impact while reducing or eliminating the negative. CR covers case studies, best practices, and trends across the CR field: a) governance, b) environmental sustainability c) employee relations, d) human rights, e) financial performance, and f) philanthropy.

About The Humane Society of the United States www.humanesociety.org The Humane Society of the United States is the nation's largest animal protection organization — backed by 12 million Americans, or one of every 25. The organization is consistently ranked among the most respected and fiscally-responsible charities in the country. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education, rescue, legislation and other hands-on programs.