Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has progressed from what some saw as a handy business trend to a necessary strategy for brands to ensure that they have longevity and growth in the marketplace.
How businesses engage with the community is important in a business environment where consumers and other businesses want to positively contribute rather than cause harm with their commercial choices.
Understanding what Corporate Responsibility means
The term corporate responsibility is one that may often be heard around your networks, but what does it really mean?
Let’s start with a broad definition from the International Chamber of Commerce:
For ICC, corporate responsibility is the commitment by companies to manage their activities in a responsible way. More broadly, Corporate Responsibility includes efforts by business to contribute to the society in which it operates.
This definition is a good place to start for any business about to create a corporate responsibility program, however there is a lot more to understand before you get started.
The changing community
The most compelling reason for CSR programs is community building. When we all work together to effect change and protect our environment, support the disadvantaged and move towards an equitable society we all benefit.
Business reasons for creating a CSR program
Of course there are also very solid business reasons for CSR programs that go beyond the moral and ethical and that are the natural benefits that your business can reap in a the ideal business environment.
- Increased brand loyalty - Increase loyalty from consumers to suppliers and pave the way for sustainable growth. Walt Disney invests a great deal of time and money into their programs and yet they are making record profits.
- Point of difference – Stand out from your competitors in a positive way. Lush cosmetics have some very strong differences that convince customers to spend with them rather than other cosmetic companies.
- Employee recruitment and retention – workers care about where they work and increasingly prefer to work for organisations that have strong CSR. RBC successfully creates opportunities for their current and past employees to be involved.
​.jpg)
Lush Charity Pot
Learning new ways to feel good
The possibilities for your CSR program are endless. Being a responsible and caring business is the broad definition so from that you can create positive policies and strategies to get you started. Some of the things that you can consider during this process include:
- Business size – no business is too small or large but plan in line with your business capabilities;
- Core business – how can you extend what you are already doing to help community;
- Passion – what are you and your staff passionate about;
- Community consultation – ask what your community needs.
Examples of CSR Programs:
Intel, US - http://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/jobs/careers/veterans-military.html
Rubicon Bakery, US - http://www.rubiconbakery.com/images/Rubicon_People-heroes.pdf
Microsoft, US/ Global - http://www.microsoft.com/about/corporatecitizenship/citizenship/giving/programs/up/digitalliteracy/default.mspx
David Jones, ANZ - http://www.davidjones.com.au/Community-and-Environment/Environment
http://csr.cisco.com/casestudy/veterans-program
Burts Bee, US - http://www.burtsbees.com/Sustainability/sustain-landing,default,pg.html
Ben & Jerry’s, US - http://bjsocialresponsibility.weebly.com/
