The Rio+20 Earth Summit is only weeks away.  Not that you’d notice.  Apart from specialist media it doesn’t seem to have registered with anyone.  Politician aren’t talking about it, Cameron is unlikely to go, business isn’t discussing it and the media are simply ignoring it.  So as communicators how are we going to break through?  How are we going to get readers, consumers, citizens to engage and to realise this is, by far, the most important event of 2012.  An event that should aim to shape the future of our very planet and our lives upon it.

From a UK perspective this isn’t going to be easy.  As I’ve mentioned, Cameron isn’t going, immediately sending the clear signal – this isn’t important.  At the same time competition for our attention is great.  What with the travails of the coalition, the forth coming Olympics, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, austerity and the continued trouble in Greece, and Syria.  The media agenda is crowded and busy.  Added to that the marketing space is fully taken up with business communications aimed at getting brands in front of people and making sales (mostly still through offers and discounts).

When do you reach the limits of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?  There are a number of leading companies in the UK who are building a strong reputation and leadership credentials in the CSR and business sustainability debate.  Many of them are doing some great things and delivering real impact.  This leadership comes from across different sectors of the UK economy and includes some of the UK’s most familiar companies; M&S and Unilever to name but two.

Another company who has been showing leadership is BSkyB.  Today (Wednesday) they have announced a 32 per cent rise in operating profits for the three months to 30th September.  A recession busting performance.  But it’s not their financial performance that concerns me.  It’s their governance.