Corporate social responsibility is one of the most important trends in business today. Companies around the nation are taking a close look at the way they do business both here and abroad. As these companies consider their supply chains, they are concerned with environmental issues, human rights and labor concerns, conflict minerals and more. Businesses have come to realize that risk management and reputation protection are key elements in supply chain management.

Paula Ivey, president of The CSR Group, recently spoke about risk and supply chain management at the Commit Forum conference in New York. She emphasized the importance of risk management as a primary factor in managing corporate social responsibility. She recommended a proactive approach, citing transparency as one of the most important factors in protecting a company's reputation.

“Corporate social responsibility is driving consumers, who are driving retailers, who are driving the brands,” Ivey said at the event, “CSR is going mainstream. Uptake is happening rapidly.”