Gem of the day

Here's a thought. A disturbing number of companies are using the power of corporate communications to claim that sustainability is "part of their DNA" or "simply our way of doing business". Witness:

• "Integrity is part of our DNA. It's not a fad or phase. It's been our family way since 1886". SC Johnson.
• "This philosophy of giving and helping is embraced at every level of our organization and in local communities large and small. It’s in our DNA." Target 
• "This is not the approach to CR management we take at Provident Financial. When asked, as I often am, about how we manage our CR programme, I say it's part of our DNA." Provident Financial
• "Since Cisco’s inception, we have had a culture and philosophy of corporate social responsibility and community involvement. It is embedded in our DNA." Cisco
• "For more than 130 years, Henkel has worked toward achieving sustainable development. Sustainability is part of our DNA." Henkel 
• "My team is committed to behaving responsibly. It is simply part of their DNA." (Land Securities)

I could go on but then we'd all get nauseous.

Leaving aside the awkward fact that a corporation as such can't have DNA in the first place, think of it this way: if CR really was in all of these companies' "DNA", an integral part of everything they say, think and do, we probably wouldn't be facing a systematic sustainability crisis.

Right.