Corporate Social Responsibility for Beginners
Posted by Tina Quinn on March 03, 2009 in Public Relations with 0 CommentsCSR is about companies behaving in a socially responsible manner with all of its stakeholders, including employees and the local community.
CSR activities can typically be divided into three categories – community, environment and workplace.
CSR is a growing feature for Irish businesses whether in the SME or multi-national sectors. The concept encompasses the ways in which a business embraces a sense of responsibility to the community in which it exists, going beyond what the company is financially or legally obliged to do.
Recent research has shown that consumers often give preference to companies that adopt CSR practices and the business community is responding. This can be seen with the Chambers Ireland President’s Awards for CSR. The Awards were set up in 2004 to recognise the work being carried out by inidigenous and multi-national companies to improve the work place environment for their employees and the communities in which their businesses operate.
This sense of ‘giving something back’ can relate to a number of initiatives including the following:
- Community CSR initiatives
- Environment CSR initiatives
- Workplace CSR initiatives
Community-focused CSR initiatives
Initiatives focused on the local community are popular with companies as they allow management and staff to interact with the communities in which they operate. This interaction includes contact with, and support of, local schools, local sporting organisations, local charities, youth club and other locally focused groups.
There are numerous options for companies willing to give of their time and provide much needed funding to support community initiatives.
This could involve something as simple as helping to organise and implement a fundraising event for a local charity. Staff involvement or ‘volunteerism’ is crucial to creating and maintaining a real sense of ownership of a project among employees and creating a meaningful connection to a project taking place on their own doorstep.
Environment-focused CSR Initiatives
There is growing public awareness and concern about the effects of all types of businesses on the environment. Finding an acceptable balance between driving a successful business forward and protecting the environment in which we operate and live is a challenging task.
Company CSR initiatives with an environmental focus could include reducing a company’s dependence on fossil fuels, cost-cutting measures which focus on reducing electricity consumption, developing on-site recycling and landscaping initiatives, etc.
Once again, involving staff is a vital component of an environment-focused initiative – perhaps rewarding staff through a competition to review company policy in an area like recycling or electricity consumption in order to identify and implement cost savings. This approach benefits the company’s bottom line while protecting how the business impacts on the environment.
Workplace-focused CSR initiatives
Workplace initiatives focus on attracting and retaining the best possible candidates in the marketplace. With increasing stress levels in the modern workplace, a healthy balance between the work and non-work related aspects of employees lives is essential to maintaining a well-motivated, committed workforce.
Such initiatives could include introducing flexi-time or part-time working options for staff; the provision of an on-site creche or child minding facility which staff can avail of; time off work to assist with community projects sponsored by the company; inclusive work practices for intercultural work places, etc.
All of these initiatives help to showcase companies as attractive places to work both from a career progression perspective and in order to achieve a healthy work/life balance.
Tina Quinn ’s specific areas of experience and expertise include media relations, strategic planning and event management which she mastered working with clients across a broad range of industry sectors.Find out more at Tina's Profile. Don't forget to subscribe if you'd like to hear more!
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