Archive for February, 2012
7 Reasons Why CSR Programs Should be a Part of Your Corporate Communications Strategy
Despite the increased visibility of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, the value of CSR programs continues to be a topic of debate among everyone from PR pros to corporate executives. In this series, we’ll discuss the ins and outs of CSR as it relates to PR. First up, answering the important question: Why should CSR be a part of your corporate communications strategy in the first place?
Here are seven reasons:
1. Communicating your CSR programs proves you’re acting responsibly – Over the past 30 years, the term “globalization” has moved from the halls of academe to public discourse. While globalization has facilitated the growth of new and emerging markets for corporations, it has also meant increased connectivity and interdependence. In this environment, corporate actions, the good, the bad and the ugly, don’t merely reverberate outside the boardroom, they spread quickly to every corner of the planet. Everyone is listening and watching you all the time. But this brave new world of interconnectivity doesn’t have to be bad news. Companies can use this fact of life to great advantage by positioning themselves as responsible global citizens through instituting and communicating their CSR programs. The goal: do well by doing good. According to a recent article in the Harvard Business Review, this is precisely how great companies think.
2. CSR programs show you’re listening – A recent article in the Huffington Post cited the following statistic: 83 percent of American consumers want corporations to embrace corporate social responsibility and use their business model as not just a driver of profits but as a force for social good. Good business means not only creating new demand and meeting consumer needs but listening to consumers as well. A solidly executed, and properly communicated, CSR campaign can demonstrate that your company takes seriously the concerns and feedback of its customer base.
3. They show that you’re accountable - The TIME magazine person of the year was “The Protestor.” To be sure, dissent is nothing new. What is new is that the message of social protest combined with the use of social media provides greater visibility for discontent than ever before. The popular demand for companies and even countries to provide more transparency, accountability and responsiveness was one of the messages that moved from the margins to the mainstream this past year. CSR programs add a potent antidote to the growing challenge posed by organized opponents.
4. CSR programs give social media something positive to track – The growth of social media has allowed for greater consumer engagement and public feedback. In addition, new social media tools allow consumers to specifically track and measure the CSR levels of particular companies. Check out this article from Mashable on nine sites that gauge CSR efforts to find out how you measure up.
5. CSR programs create goodwill – While adopting a corporate social responsibility platform will not guarantee that crises won’t occur, the cultivation of responsible corporate citizenship long before the onset of a crisis will build goodwill in communities where you operate and among customers. With a CSR program already in place, your constituents will respond with far more understanding to your crisis management efforts.
6. CSR programs build trust - With the growth of social media and consumer-based marketing, companies confront an increasingly skeptical public. What is becoming apparent is that what companies are selling is not just a product or service but trust. CSR campaigns, done right, can play a crucial role in the development of a trustworthy corporate image.
7. CSR programs make good business sense. – In Milton Friedman’s famous dismissal of corporate citizenship, he remarked that the only social responsibility a corporation has is to maximize profits for its shareholders. However, more and more companies are finding that a focus on profits doesn’t have to come at the expense of CSR, and in fact, CSR campaigns might actually help to increase revenue.
In the next post, we’ll move from why to how CSR should be a part of your company’s corporate communications strategy.
- Steven Pludwin, Associate, provides account support across the technology, industry and healthcare practice areas.
