BOSTON—Cone Communications is launching CSR SocialScore, which serves as a real time snapshot of how a brand uses social media to inform and engage stakeholders around corporate social responsibility issues.

Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) of global consumers use social media to engage with companies around social and environmental issues, according to the 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study, and social media are breaking down geographic, economic and cultural barriers to provide an unprecedented and public view of how companies invest, operate and engage with stakeholders regarding social and environmental issues.

"Social media is where the CSR conversation is happening. Brands need to meet stakeholders where they are," says Jonathan Yohannan, executive vice president of Cone's sustainable business practices group. "It is no longer enough to be an offline CSR leader. Many of the most admired CSR leaders are not showing up online to meet and engage with consumers or other stakeholders."

CSR SocialScore is designed to help companies measure their ability to both "inform" and "engage" stakeholders. The “inform” portion of the score looks at a company's online CSR reporting and baseline CSR social media presence. The “engage” portion surveys how a company is positioning its brand as a CSR thought leader, how it is engaging with top influencers and providing open opportunities for feedback or co-creation.