CSR: Benefit Or Buzzword
by Miki Saxon
Corporate social responsibility, know as CSR, is fast becoming a significant part of an attractive corporate culture.
Granted, the definitions of CSR are all over the place, but it’s generally agreed that building a positive CSR reputation is necessary to attract, motivate and retain today’s workforce, especially the Millennials.
But how important is it now that all hell’s broken out?
“…corporate social responsibility is no longer a luxury; it is an essential component of a thoughtful business strategy. At a time when customers and investors will be demanding increasing transparency and responsibility from corporations… These efforts must include a commitment to good governance and financial transparency, a commitment to protect and educate their work forces, a commitment to protect the environment, and a commitment to strengthen the communities in which they work… And by engaging staff, businesses can ensure that corporate social responsibility becomes a part of their corporate culture, rather than just a token gesture… In order to survive a sustained recession, companies, communities and the government must work together. Although companies may not be able to sustain the same levels of corporate social responsibility spending in an economic downturn, it is critical for them to retain a healthy commitment to a corporate social responsibility strategy that includes community engagement.”
A lot of CSR isn’t about spending money, it’s an attitude. An attitude that requires honesty, authenticity, transparency and reliability—all of which we seem to be in short supply these days.
Attitude is the ‘a’ in MAP and it’s MAP that has to change. It’s MAP that, at all levels, needs to bring its ego under control and recognize that the world that emerges from the current mess will be different and that CSR is here to stay.
Makes sense, doesn’t it?
By the way, the above quote wasn’t written by anyone in the US, it’s from Kiev, Ukraine. Looks like CSR has gone global, too.
