A few corporations, such as Ben & Jerry’s, Newman’s Own, Patagonia, and the Body Shop, have distinguished themselves through an extraordinary long-term commitment to social responsibility. But even for these companies , the social impact achieved, much less the business benefit, is hard to determine. Studies of the effect of a company’s social reputation on consumer purchasing preferences or on stock market performance have been inconclusive at best. As for the concept of CSR as insurance, the connection between the good deeds and consumer attitudes is so indirect as to be impossible to measure. Having no way to quantify the benefits of these investment puts such CSR programs on shaky ground, liable to be dislodged by a change of management or a swing in the business cycle.