IBM launches first Corporate Responsibility Report

HostReview.com
Tuesday, November 11, 2003; 12:00 AM

Today, IBM is unveiling a first-of-its-kind document - a companion to the company's annual report that looks beyond financial and marketplace performance to present the broader dimensions of the company's value.

The IBM Corporate Responsibility Report provides an integrated view of IBM's philosophy and management system.

"The overriding message of this document -- our first Corporate Responsibility Report -- is that we've always believed our business has many responsibilities," said Sam Palmisano, IBM chairman, president and CEO. "They begin, of course, with our dedication to every client's success and to ensuring that our shareholders profit from their investment and confidence in our company. But they extend to the company's relationship with its employees, with communities, and to our commitment to use our technologies, expertise and influence to solve meaningful problems in business and society. This report is equally about our business and our values."

The report is organized into three major sections with a series of first-person essays from IBM experts on important business and social issues such as management of a global workforce, dealing responsibly with the environment, and the policy and technical issues that arise in protecting privacy.

Our Company includes a corporate profile and overviews of corporate governance practices, management system and supply chain relationships.

Our People describes the compensation and benefits programs that support a high-performance culture, as well as learning, employee well-being and workplace safety programs, diversity initiatives and workforce communications.

Our World discusses our commitments to a sustainable planet, including environmentally conscious programs and products, philanthropic efforts and how technologies are being applied to important issues in society, in healthcare and the environment.