PPG Industries recently attended a ceremony at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing to celebrate release of the first China CSR Evaluation Criteria by the China Enterprise Evaluation Association and the School of Social Sciences, Tsinghua University. PPG also participated in the process of drafting the new corporate social responsibility standards.

More than 30 government officials and experts, including Zhang Laiming, vice director of the Development Research Center of the State Council, and Hou Yunchun, researcher of Development Research Center of the State Council, member of National Committee of Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference,  president of the Enterprise Evaluation Association, attended the ceremony. Cathy Yan, PPG general manager, corporate and government affairs, Asia Pacific, received a certificate there recognizing PPG’s contribution to the criteria. She also was appointed a reviewer for the CSR Review Committee of the China Enterprise Evaluation Association, and she and 10 other corporate representatives and government officials together unveiled the AAA sign of China CSR Evaluation.

The China CSR Evaluation Criteria are based on experience and best practice in both China and other countries, and they took nearly two years to establish. As the first authoritative system for scientific evaluation of corporate social responsibility in China, the document provides a benchmark for Chinese enterprises and third parties assessing their CSR practices and helps identify exemplary socially responsible organizations.

“Corporate development is closely connected with social progress, and enterprises that benefit from societal development should give back to society,” Yan said. “At a time when CSR activities are growing rapidly in China, the release of the criteria both provides supervision and urges more enterprises to assume responsibility as corporate citizens. PPG is glad to have participated in the drafting process and hopes to work with other enterprises toward sustainable development of the economy, society, environment and business in China.”

Based on existing studies and best practices around the world, the China CSR Evaluation Criteria – the first of their kind in the country – set forth 10 first-tier criteria and 63 second- and third-tier criteria for rating CSR indicators according to corporate performance. The first-tier criteria include legal ethics, quality and safety, scientific innovation, integrity and creditworthiness, consumer rights, shareholder rights, employee rights, energy and environment, harmonious community, and responsible management. Summing up the scores of all indicators produces a final rating for an enterprise of C, B, BB, BBB, A, AA or AAA.