"over the last 20 years, #CSR has not proven all that effective & certainly not enough to make #socialchange.”
~ @svpcharlotte Twitter account
this begs the question why? why haven’t corporate social responsibility programs been effective at answering business questions and pushing social change?
CSR's move from a function of human resources to marketing has created a trend that is not good for business and doesn’t support social change. too often companies use their CSR programs as an extension of their branding and marketing efforts. they believe that having their name and logo attached to a cause will bolster business. it may, but the success of the program won’t be easily quantifiable. they won’t be able to measure the return on investment in a way that shows the impact on business or the community because they didn’t design their CSR program to create long-term, deep impact on their bottom line or community. this is what CSR should be about, giving deep for positive business results and to push social change. to accomplish this companies should:
- align their charitable giving with their business goals.
- partner and collaborate with other for-profit companies and non-profit organizations to address community need.
- develop a sustainable, long-term funding model to provide continuous support for the community.
- be consistent to build brand loyalty.
