Tuesday 10 June 2014

Corporate Social Responsibility And The 3 Steps To Follow

By Sebastian Troup


Setting up a new corporate social responsibility program is not easy and also can become a bit overwhelming. There are simple steps that can be done however, and these are based on best practices and those that have worked previously with other companies, and these are the process steps to be done when broken down.

We've found that breaking the process down into three clear can be a great way to segment the daunting task of corporate social responsibility into something much more manageable.

Step 1: Conception & Initiation

A corporate social responsibility program is never one-size-fits-all. While crafting a program, it is important to keep the Three Pillars of Sustainability in the forefront: People, Planet and Profit. Create opportunities and multiple ways for employees and other stakeholders to engage with the program. Incorporate opportunities across a wide spectrum of engagement that include volunteer days, traditional giving, recycling events, peer to peer fundraising, and disaster assistance.

Consider taking your CSR program a step further and incorporate cause marketing into the program. Integrate your company's products within the program, and take this as an opportunity to initiate commitments to supply chains and production processes. Consider where and how it makes sense for your company to make a socially responsible and environmentally impactful investments and how to involve your company's employees and leadership in that investment.

Step 2: Commit and Implement

Prove the program's value in relation to the three bottom line results of the company, and this should be done after the idea and details of the CSR program are already set. The program's over-all result should be determined, and this needs thorough assessment and also measurement. Your company's business result should be connected to the social responsibility program.

How does your cause driven program impact your company's sales, customer satisfaction, employee and brand loyalty, and market access? Prove that your program positively impacts the company reputation and the overall profitability. Track, measure, and communicate the impact that your program is making on the social, environmental, and economic factors.

Step 3: Encouragement, Feedback & Communication

For any corporate program to succeed, the program needs endorsement and acceptance from the top management. A corporate social responsibility program is no different. Communicating the impact and successes of your program to the top levels of your organization is critical. Communicate frequently about the program's progress and accomplishments, and also be sure to convey the program's impact to the company's triple bottom line.

Convince leadership to inspire employees and other stakeholders to make "cause" a priority, and encourage employees to participate and get each other involved. Track and share program outcomes and impact with employees, customers, community members, and program beneficiaries to build program recognition, loyalty, and momentum. The success of the program is all about inspiration and participation.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment