The problem with CSR is that everyone wants to do it, and certainly everyone wants to be seen to do it. But shouldn't we be trying to go deeper than simply scratching the surface?

Any marketer who argues against CSR is both wrong and not seeing the long term picture, and while this is dangerous, perhaps more dangerous is the marketer who grabs CSR as a purely brand exercise. CSR only truly works at building a brand if there is substance and longevity behind glossy recycling and supposed apparent energy saving. And it's not all about the environment either. Companies' activities impact society - both for the good and not so good - in a variety of ways. In order to have a real impact any socially responsible programme must have clear foundations and goals. Simply putting up a banner saying ‘We are Carbon Neutral' is not enough. Why are we going carbon neutral, what are we doing with our suppliers and clients to benefit ourselves and our bottom line?

By companies demonstrating to stakeholders - whether that be staff, shareholders of the general consumer - that they are truly committed to CSR with lasting policies and actions, and not just a series of ‘tick-box' exercise, CSR will be accepted as an ingrained, cultural habit that as much at the core of a business as its sales and marketing. And it might just feel good to make more profit when it's done in responsible way.

Of course some go further and don't even ask for the attention - is this a missed opportunity or are they actually better than all of us? Historically the tobacco companies have been some of the biggest planters of trees in the world, but who would ever know about it?