Do The Right Thing

by Alyson Gomez

What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)? It is a company’s commitment to being responsible citizens of the world. In other words, corporate do-gooders. This could mean anything from employee volunteer programs and charitable contributions to broader world-view issues such as helping the poor and offsetting carbon emissions, or even activities closer to home as simple as taking great care of employees.

Various studies and experts such as Michael Porter and Mark Kramer – authors of “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility” - have supported the idea of CSR as something that is no longer a choice, but a necessity. It’s not just about doing the right thing, it’s simply good business sense. And in these times of economic uncertainty, what better way to differentiate from competitors than through efforts to give back to the people and places that need help the most?

The problem is that many times, companies don’t know where to start. Their focus can be too scattered, leading to a cardinal sin in marketing – inconsistent messaging. So, as companies look to develop their CSR programs, it’s important to remember these essential rules of engagement:

• Simple – easy to execute and maintain
• Authentic – ties into corporate mission
• Relevant – customers and employees must care about it too
• Consistent – more than a one-time effort
• Transparent – clear and concise reporting

In addition to the rules of engagement outlined above, leaders and executives should look to examples of other companies leading the way in CSR. A few to consider – Starbucks, Target, and Travelocity.

Starbucks is one of the pioneers of the CSR movement. The company is so committed to minimizing its impact on the communities they serve, it’s actually one of the guiding principles in its mission statement. Talk about authentic!

Target has consistently donated five percent of its income to community programs and employees volunteer thousands of hours to not-for-profit programs each year. Because the program is widely accepted by employees and management across all regions, consistency is evident.

Travelocity (a VOLLMER client) looked to its employees to help develop its CSR program. The company started the Travel for Good program to help better the world through travel. Not only does it offer its customers the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions generated on their trip through a donation to a well-respected non-profit, the company also offsets travel for their North American employees as well. An additional piece of the program makes it easy for volunteers to find opportunities to help serve local communities while on vacation. These programs help to better the environment as a whole, while also preserving recreational destinations for travelers in the future. The company has remained relevant through active employee involvement and is still supporting its overall mission to provide amazing travel experiences to its customers.