Issue 1 2012 > Crown Industry Expert Series: Jennifer Harvey Featured in CSR Digest
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Crown Industry Expert Series:
Jennifer Harvey Featured in CSR Digest
CSR Digest, a publication focusing on corporate social responsibility (CSR), sustainability and responsible investment and business development, featured an article titled, "Going Global: Corporate Social Responsibility on the Move," written by Jennifer Harvey, Crown's director of corporate social responsibility. Jennifer gave sound advice for companies trying to integrate CSR into their business practices.
"The global movement of employees has both environmental and social impacts, but despite the increased corporate focus on CSR, employee mobility departments are not addressing these issues. According to a survey conducted by Crown Relocations, just 9 percent of employee mobility professionals said they had integrated CSR into their mobility program design or delivery. "
She continued, "One way that many global employers have integrated CSR into their businesses is through responsible service partner selection. Choosing suppliers that have formally embedded CSR into its processes, or including CSR-related questions during the selection process, will strengthen a company's offering and reputation."
The increasing globalization of businesses brings significant environmental and social impacts to the countries in which they operate. In the global mobility industry, the impacts are significant since they are in greater use of natural resources and energy for activities such as transporting and storing items, packing, unpacking and removing of materials used during transport. Crown has been consistent and at the forefront of integrating CSR into business practice. The company reinforces one of its core values of contributing to its communities and preserving the environment. The Crown team is environmentally conscious and actively participates in a variety of CSR-related activities.
Crown environmental preservation initiatives are supported and enforced by Jennifer through its Destination Green program. Crown has established policies to secure the ISO 14001 or comparable environmental accreditations in three of its biggest markets – Hong Kong, Australia and the UK, with other worldwide locations now following suit. The initiatives range from participation in responsible waste management programs, the integration of the online Interact system to reduce paper consumption, the use of electricity generated by alternative sources, and investment in the most fuel-efficient vehicles available in various markets.
Jennifer explained, "One way to lead by example is to take the initiative to volunteer together with team members, which is also an effective way to support existing CSR initiatives. Additional benefits of doing this are team building, increased employee satisfaction, and company loyalty."
Jennifer Harvey was appointed to the position of Director of Corporate Social Responsibility for Crown in 2008, where her primary responsibility is working with Crown's management teams to create a unified, innovative approach to green and community impact initiatives. She is developing and executing a standardized global strategy to further support Crown's objectives of extending environmental conservation policies, recognizing responsible service partners and expanding Crown's "Charity in Motion" program. Considered an expert in the field, she was interviewed live by CNN International on Olympic travel challenges into Beijing in 2008.
Born and raised in Japan and Hong Kong, respectively, Jennifer speaks multiple languages including Japanese. She received a B.A. from Columbia University and has over 15 years of global mobility industry experience.