Corporate social responsibility (CSR) offers more than an opportunity for businesses to build goodwill. A range of stakeholders including consumers and employees actively expect companies to play a role in social and environmental change.
Employees who take part in CSR activities such as corporate volunteering tend to be more engaged in their work, hold more positive views about their colleagues, and have significantly higher levels of job satisfaction. These are worthwhile outcomes for any business, and they can certainly impact your company’s ability to attract and retain top professionals.
Find out here why corporate social responsibility plays a key role in your company’s corporate culture and how it can help your organisation stand out from competitors when it comes to recruiting quality job candidates.
What is corporate social responsibility?
CSR initiatives focus on policies and activities that have a positive impact on society and the environment. They contribute to sustainable development, high ethical standards, and demonstrate a business’ commitment to people and the environment.
Having a CSR strategy in place can offer myriad benefits. It allows your business to have a positive impact on the surrounding community, help create a better perception of your business, or strengthen the reputation of the company. This makes it more desirable to professional talent.
How to demonstrate corporate social responsibility
A first step in developing a corporate social responsibility strategy is to be upfront about why you’re supporting certain causes. This way, key stakeholders and the community can understand what your objective clearly is.
For example, an employee in your company may have been affected by the issue that you are championing. Personal stories can be extremely powerful in helping your company connect with stakeholders on a deeper level, and demonstrate to jobseekers how the organisation genuinely cares about its staff.
Gather feedback from employees
A great way to embrace a cause that resonates with your team is to encourage employees to provide input into the causes they are involved in.
Not only does this build personal investment in your CSR strategy, it may even encourage your employees to generate their own publicity of your company’s ongoing efforts and support.
Ensure management is invested in your CSR strategy
Current and future employees are more likely to believe in your CSR initiatives when senior management take part in the relevant activities.
Setting an example for employees is an important leadership trait. When those higher up the corporate ladder demonstrate commitment to a company’s CSR program, it’s more likely that your company’s current staff (as well as future job candidates) will follow their example.
Embrace corporate volunteerism
Few things in life are as rewarding as contributing to the greater good, and this applies regardless of whether it is done on an individual or corporate level.
Making corporate volunteerism a part of your CSR strategy can be a win-win option. It allows your business and staff to give back to the community, contributing to a positive company culture, and providing generous opportunities for meaningful and creative team-building.
If you’re uncertain about how to embrace your business’s volunteerism potential, rest assured there is a wealth of useful resources available to get you started. Simply run a web search of “corporate volunteerism ” to find accredited organisations that can help channel your team into meaningful projects.
Make it measurable
Your company’s CSR strategy may come with costs, so like any business initiative, a good CSR program should be measurable.
While it can be difficult to accurately measure the impact you have on a social level, you can track how many hours have been spent volunteering or how much money has been donated to charity. Keep track of this information to help quantify how successful your program has been and to provide a benchmark for the future.
Corporate social responsibility programs tend to work best when they focus on doing a few things well. Decide where your company can make a difference and concentrate on this area rather than spreading yourself thinly over multiple causes.
Implementing a successful CSR program might seem daunting, but following a few simple guidelines can help elevate your brand, bring about meaningful change, and make your company a place where top professionals are eager to work.
