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Aligning CSR with Business Objectives
June 2006 | Volume 4 Issue 6
The dynamic—and often controversial—concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been gaining momentum in recent years. This critical issue was the focus of Stephen Lewis' compelling address to communicators at IABC's recent international conference and has been in recent media coverage as companies wrestle with the level of resources they are willing to put towards CSR. In this issue of CW Bulletin, we look at how to focus CSR efforts so that they clearly align with business objectives, for the good of an organization as well as for the betterment of society.
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Features
CREATING THE FOUNDATION
by Barry Mike and Jeff Grimshaw
Most of those who write about corporate social responsibility focus first and foremost on external stakeholders—responsibility-focused investors, workers in the supply chain, local communities, the press, governments or NGOs—and understandably so. These groups can undermine corporate reputations by publicizing perceived instances of social irresponsibility. Reputations may be intangible, but damage to them can cost real dollars.
COMMUNICATING THE CSR PROGRAM
by Nancy Murphy
Communicating about corporate social responsibility (CSR) is becoming increasingly challenging in today's business environment. CSR communicators need to be prepared to not only tell their company's CSR story proactively, but also to clearly connect that story—and the actions, programs and associated costs—with business objectives.
INTERNAL TEAMWORK
by Adine Mees
There are ongoing debates about the reporting and working relationship between HR and internal communication, but one thing is certain: When it comes to systemic change, the kind required for effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation, the two must work together in an inextricably-linked collaboration.
CSR STRATEGY
by Mike Hatcliffe
Clearly no company today can afford to be oblivious to the needs of the community and society of which it is part. And certainly, in this age of corporate accountability and transparency, no organization can be perceived as pursuing its own commercial goals at the expense of the greater good of society.
CASE STUDIES IN CSR
by Juliana Vale Marques
With intense competition and demands from shareholders, customers and employees, companies need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. Many companies are looking to corporate social responsibility, as a way to do this—by both protecting and enhancing their reputations. Some CSR practitioners are driven by a belief in the company mission and vision, others by top executives, and others see it as public relations and marketing opportunity.
Columns
by Suzanne Salvo
   
Photogenic: Picturing inner beauty
A very small percentage of the world's population is naturally photogenic. In my experience, about two percent of the thousands that have passed before our camera lenses fall into that fortunate category. But it's not just good-looking people who are photogenic. It's weird, but even with our 21 years of people-picture experience, it's next to impossible to predict who possesses good photo-genes until we see them through a viewfinder.
by Daria Steigman
Nurturing Small Business:
Exploring strategies to foster growth and innovation
I was browsing the business section in my local Barnes & Noble recently and realized, not for the first time, that there are a lot of books aimed at business owners. Amazon.com has ten separate categories under "small business & entrepreneurship," each filled with books dishing advice on everything from budgeting basics to how to make money selling on eBay. The sheer number of options suggest that there are a lot of independents and aspiring CEOs out there.
by Ron Shewchuk, ABC, MC
Internal Blogging and the Rules of Disclosure:
An IR-reconciliable difference?
We are hearing and reading a lot these days about the new age of transparency, in which organizations must go beyond traditional, tightly controlled communication and engage in a "naked conversation" with their customers, communities, employees and other stakeholders.
Communication in the News
Case Studies
Related Resources
Related Resources provides additional articles and resources for understanding this month's topic of aligning CSR with business objectives. You can also find some of these links alongside each corresponding feature article for quick reference. Links include:
- "100 Best Corporate Citizens for 2006," by David Raths
- "Social Responsibility Not a Warm, Fuzzy Fad: It pays to be the good guy," by Brock Ketcham
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