6. Mistakes to avoid

Actions that are at odds with the communication, rhetoric and intent of CSR lose all credibility. Communicating a lot and doing little or nothing is known as "green washing". Companies with the greatest discrepancy between words and deeds may be eligible for one of the Pinocchio Awards for Sustainable Development, a "negative" trophy awarded by Friends of the Earth.

Actions taken as part of a CSR approach should not be limited to corrective measures to deal with dysfunctions in existing processes and methods. Above all, it is necessary to reconfigure or redesign to avoid these dysfunctions. CSR must be a process of progress and improvement and a source of innovation, not a set of curative measures applied to existing processes and procedures, which would above all be a source of high costs and reduced benefits.