MCLEAN, Va. – More businesses are finding that being good corporate citizens helps their bottom line, USA Today reports. Growing evidence shows that companies are embracing “corporate social responsibility” or CSR.

CSR practices such as lowering factory and transportation pollution, treating employees fairly and using natural materials can be both profitable and socially responsible for companies. "All of a sudden, corporate responsibility is an idea whose time has arrived," Julie Fox Gorte, chief social investment strategist at the Calvert Group, told the newspaper. "We're seeing more companies who think it's not just a philosophy, but good for business, too.”

And studies back this up. Christine Arena, author of The High-Purpose Company, 10 MBA students at McGill University looked at 75 U.S. corporations, including Wal-Mart, McDonald's, Volvo, JetBlue, Patagonia, Eileen Fisher and John Deere. They found that many corporations use CSR as a long-term corporate strategy, not just to polish their public image.

Arena also found that many of these companies are visionary, risk-takers that she labels "the early adopters, the alphas of the modern business world." The companies are looking toward environmental and social goals to grow their businesses.

Some examples include General Electric CEO Jeffrey Immelt’s announcement of its "Ecoimagination" initiative two years ago. GE wants to double its profit from environmentally clean technology to $20 billion by 2010. Also, Wegmans Food Markets has cultivated an employer-friendly culture that gives workers generous pay and benefits, vacation time and training.

In addition, a 2004 study from the University of Redlands and University of Iowa found that profitable, well-run companies also had strong social and environmental records.

"It's not a fleeting fad," Arena told the newspaper. "These companies are investing money in a way that creates social, environmental and financial value. They can't afford to stop investing in this higher purpose."