BRANDFog's CSR Influencers of 2010

In a recent interview, Ann M. Charles, founder of BRANDfog, said: "The economic collapse fundamentally is a failure of leadership." On her blog on Fast Company yesterday, Charles paid homage to the CSR leaders of 2010 who helped shape the corporate social responsibility discussion through 2010, some by their forceful commentary, some by lending their influential voice to the cause, and many more by leading by example.

These leaders include not only visionaries like Timberland's Jeff Swartz, Bill Gates and Warrenn Buffett, but also experts, practitioners and bloggers like Fabian Pattberg, David Conner, Elaine Cohen, Gabe Chesman, Susan McPherson, John Friedman--as well as institutions like the Environmental Defense Fund's Climate Corps, 3BL Media, CSR Wire, Sustainability Forum, and Justmeans--and practitioners like Campbell Soup's Dave Stangis.

As Charles explains:

Amid high unemployment, foreclosures, and low national confidence, CSR has launched into the stratosphere as companies integrate socially responsible practices directly into their core mission. Socially-minded capitalism is red hot, and companies are achieving their business goals while improving society and the environment.

Last week, Vault's latest series "CSR 2010: Lasting Impressions From a Volatile Year" launched with a bold question by Andrea Newell: Was 2010 the Year that CSR Went Mainstream?

Charles' homage to these insightful bloggers, experts and commentators who helped mainstream CSR---and continue to lead change--comes at the perfect time. She sums it up well:

Aside from big business, big media, and big investors, there was also a groundswell of voices building to a crescendo about the importance of maintaining a Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet and Profit. As homage to those tireless voices, I present BRANDfog's 2010 CSRTree, designed to recognize some of the great thought leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility for 2010.

And guess what, Vault's CSR blog: In Good Company (@VaultCSR) made it on the CSRTree as well!

So, without further ado, BRANDfog's 2010 CSRTree:

Join us and help shape future discussions by leaving a comment, emailing In Good Company or connecting with us on Twitter @VaultCSR.