What benefits does CSR actually bring to the economy and society at large?

How can managers, policy-makers and stakeholders better measure and analyse its outcomes?

What does this mean for smart mixes of public policies and corporate strategy?

In an attempt to answer these questions, a consortium of 16 European research institutions, combining independent sustainability research, business schools, Universities and CSR networks, have launched the IMPACT project – “Impact Measurement and Performance Analysis of CSR”.

This unique research projects measures runs from March 2010 until March 2013, measuring the impact of Corporate Social Responsibility. Funded by the European Commission’s 7th Framework Programme for Research, it is the European Commission’s largest ever research and knowledge development initiative on CSR.

According to the IMPACT website, the aim is to:

• Systematically measure the impact of CSR on social, economic and environmental goals of the European Union
• Provide insights on corporate and institutional factors that drive the creation of CSR impact
• Develop and test methods to assess CSR impact and provide recommendations on how to improve them

If you find this interesting, there’s more about the project in this press release.