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3BL Media Acquires UK-Based CSR Publisher of Ethical Performance ... Fourth Acquisition for Sustainability Communications Firm 3BL Media

Burgess COMMENTARY
Peter Burgess This news is both good news and bad news ...

I have been of the view for some time that the success of the CSR agenda or the sustainability agenda is going to require considerable consolidation of the entities operating in the sector ... but I did not expect to be seeing this in the 'publishing' part of the sector.

There is clearly a lot of 'activity' in the CSR and sustainability world, but it is not at all clear how much progress there is and whether or not the performance is particularly good. I worry that there is a lot more visibility for the CSR/sustainability issues than there has been in the past, but not at all sure that this visibility correlates to performance reality. Part of the problem is, of course, that the metrics of progress and performance are very much in flux. There is a lot of activity to have more reporting ... GRI, Integrated Reporting, SASB etc ... but these initiatives are building on an underlying lack of system for measuring important issues. Its coming ... but it is still very expensive to do the analysis and, I would argue, quite ineffective as a tool for management.

In any event ... good to have this consolidation
Peter Burgess TrueValueMetrics.org
Peter Burgess

3BL Media Acquires UK-Based CSR Publisher of Ethical Performance ... Fourth Acquisition for Sustainability Communications Firm 3BL Media

NORTHAMPTON, Mass., and CANTERBURY, U.K., May 27 /CSRwire/ - 3BL Media, LLC, a corporate communications platform exclusively dedicated to the distribution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability news and content, announced today the acquisition of Dunstans Publishing Limited, a UK-based leading sustainability reporting service and publishers of the Ethical Performance newsletter and website.

The transaction, which expands the range of CSR and sustainability communications services within the 3BL Media group, is the company’s fourth acquisition since 2011. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“As corporations place more emphasis on reporting their environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and achievements, trusted sources of news and analysis like Ethical Performance play an increasingly critical role keeping stakeholders informed,” said Greg Schneider, CEO and co-founder of 3BL Media. “This acquisition extends 3BL Media’s existing distribution network in the UK and Europe while providing Ethical Performance clients access to a broader menu of services to tell their CSR and sustainability stories to industry thought leaders, media, consumers and decision makers across the world.”

Founded in 1999 by pioneering environmental journalist and entrepreneur Alistair Townley, in Canterbury, England, Ethical Performance produces a portfolio of online, mobile, email and print publications and services for CSR and socially responsible investment (SRI) professionals:

The Ethical Performance newsletter, a subscription-based monthly briefing for senior executives, is read by CSR and SRI personnel in large companies and investing institutions in the U.K., Europe and the rest of the world.

The company’s flagship stakeholder communications service provides reporting companies with an efficient and effective way to publicize their CSR and sustainability reporting.

Best Practice, a quarterly magazine, compiles a collection of exemplary CR and sustainability programs, presented in case study format for a global CSR audience. Distributed to key opinion formers and decision makers, its focus is on new initiatives and innovative strategies from cross sector global businesses.

The free Ethical Performance eNewsletter is sent out weekly (news), bi-weekly (vacancies), monthly (issue alert, events) and immediately on release of new CR reports (report alerts).

Ethicalperformance.com and its mobile platform are updated daily.

The CSR Professional Services Directory, available since 2005, is a fully searchable online directory.

Ethical Performance’s client roster includes FTSE, RBS, Tate & Lyle, BAE Systems, UNICEF, Unilever, Vodafone, Mattel and Aviva.

The executive team that has been leading Ethical Performance – including Director Robin Bines, Office Manager Carla Thorne and Editor Liz Jones – will continue to operate the business from its offices in Canterbury.

“The services offered by 3BL Media and our team at Ethical Performance are truly complementary. Both organizations are passionate about supporting our respective and mutual clients in the CR and sustainability sector,” said Jones, who will work collaboratively with 3BL Media Editorial Director John Howell.

The Ethical Performance purchase is the first outside the US for 3BL Media, which grew through the acquisition of three platforms serving the CSR, sustainability and social entrepreneurship communities: CSRwire in 2014, SocialEarth in 2013, and JustMeans in 2011.

About 3BL Media

Based in Northampton, Mass., 3BL Media is a corporate communications platform exclusively for the distribution of corporate social responsibility and sustainability news and content. Founded in 2009, the company works with corporations and non-profits to distribute multi-format media assets through social, traditional and new media channels. 3BL Media has grown organically and through acquisition, operating a network of focused, authoritative sites including 3blmedia.com, justmeans.com, csrwire.com and socialearth.org. Content issued by 3BL Media clients also appears on hundreds of thousands of Bloomberg and Thomson Reuters terminals.

For more information, please contact: Dave Armon 3BL Media Phone: 802.535.3215, ext. 123 For more from this organization: 3BL Media

CSRwire, The Corporate Social Responsibility NewswirePrivate Group 11,022 membersMember Gabriel Chesman, OMCP Manager's Choice Options menu Gabriel Chesman, OMCP Social Media Specialist at 3BL Media 1 day ago 3BL Media Acquires UK-Based CSR Publisher of Ethical Performance

Expanding the range of CSR and sustainability communications services within the 3BL Media group.

3BL Media Acquires UK-Based CSR Publisher of Ethical Performance csrwire.com•Press Releases get your corporate social responsibility news and information out to journalists, investors, and industry professionals utilizing CSRwire’s targeted reach.

Peter Burgess
This news is both good news and bad news ...

I have been of the view for some time that the success of the CSR agenda or the sustainability agenda is going to require considerable consolidation of the entities operating in the sector ... but I did not expect to be seeing this in the 'publishing' part of the sector.

There is clearly a lot of 'activity' in the CSR and sustainability world, but it is not at all clear how much progress there is and whether or not the performance is particularly good. I worry that there is a lot more visibility for the CSR/sustainability issues than there has been in the past, but not at all sure that this visibility correlates to performance reality. Part of the problem is, of course, that the metrics of progress and performance are very much in flux. There is a lot of activity to have more reporting ... GRI, Integrated Reporting, SASB etc ... but these initiatives are building on an underlying lack of system for measuring important issues. Its coming ... but it is still very expensive to do the analysis and, I would argue, quite ineffective as a tool for management.

In any event ... good to have this consolidation
Peter Burgess TrueValueMetrics.org