Over 100 multinational enterprises participated in the project, which was commissioned by the World Bank Group to evaluate whether corporate social responsibility affects the international investment and purchasing decisions of the largest companies in the world. The study was jointly conducted by PELC, a New York-based firm, and by Ethical Corporation magazine, the London-based corporate social responsibility publication.

 "Many global companies have made a commitment to creating lasting social and economic value in their host communities," said Jonathan Berman, PELC's president, who directed the study. "This study clearly indicates that their investment and purchase decisions are now being influenced by where they can meet those commitments."

"This report is a landmark in corporate social responsibility, both for its form and contents," said Tobias Webb, Ethical Corporation's Editor-in-Chief. "In an arena filled with anecdotal and speculative evidence, Race to the Top delivers quantitative information never before gathered."

More information on the study can be found at www.ethicalcorporation.com.

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