4 Steps Developing Program Social Responsibility
Not so long ago, there was a large disconnect between doing good and good business. While the idea of corporate social responsibility has been around since the 1960s, businesses have historically approached CSR and sustainability as a “feel good” silo or regulatory requirement — a means to improve public image reputation and mitigate risk, but not much else. It wasn't until recent years that companies discovered that social impact programs could benefit a company in more remunerative ways — increasing revenue, creating new markets, driving innovation, retaining talent, and opening the doors to new business opportunities. As such, it was rare for CEOs and CFOs to even nod their heads towards citizenship and sustainability, much less make it a priority.A shining example of this comes from a global leader in wireless technology, Qualcomm. In 2006, the company developed a strategic social impact program called, which brings connectivity to underserved communities while simultaneously supporting long-term business goals. To date, Wireless Reach has benefited 12 million people and counting, with 117 programs that span across 47 countries.
The growth has been massive - and it’s also been strategic: Although Wireless Reach has improved the lives of people all over the world, the program has also benefited Qualcomm by allowing the business to enter new markets, creating new markets, determining innovative new uses for their products, and establishing profitable programs sustained through funding from local governments and NGOs. The program not only demonstrates how mobile technology can have a positive impact on social and economic development, but also how doing good is good business.Learn more about Qualcomm Wireless Reach and creating a social impact program in.So, how can your business create a social impact program that benefits both communities and business objectives? And how can it have a massive impact? Take a page from Qualcomm’s playbook and follow these steps: 1) Identify social causes directly related to your industry.Don’t just pick a social cause you’re personally passionate about — find one that intrinsically connects to your business.
Wireless Reach did this by visiting emerging communities around the world to see how geographic, socioeconomic, educational and cultural barriers hinder prosperity. It was then able to uncover ways in which its core business offering — technology — could offer solutions to these social challenges.If you’re stuck, a great place to start is by looking at the, the United Nations’ 15-year framework for tackling the world’s most pressing social issues, from ending poverty to protecting the planet. The UN has specifically called upon businesses to do their part in achieving the goals, starting with conducting business responsibly, and then pursuing opportunities to solve societal challenges through business innovation and collaboration. Take a look at the various targets and brainstorm ways your business could support these priorities. 2) Be clear about your objectives.After you’ve determined the social cause your program will support, be clear about what you want to achieve in terms of social impact. Wireless Reach started by determining five key impact focuses — Education, Entrepreneurship, Public Safety, Environment and Health Care — and then developing programs that fall under each pillar. You should also identify the business goals you want to achieve, whether that’s driving innovation, forming new strategic partnerships or becoming a more sustainable enterprise.
Qualcomm had the goal of bringing its products to new markets around the world, so its programs target these key regions.By identifying your philanthropic and business goals from the start, you will have an overarching theme to guide you as you develop your program. 3) Leverage your products or services.A successful strategic social impact program should be a showcase of your business offerings. After identifying a cause related to your industry and determining your objectives, think about how your products and services can get you there.Wireless Reach is effectively a showcase of Qualcomm’s advanced technology innovations.
For example, its fishing programs in India, Brazil, Colombia and Senegal utilize Qualcomm smartphone technology with GPS and customized mobile apps to empower traditional fishermen to improve safety and increase their productivity and incomes. To date, these programs have collectively served an estimated 10,000 beneficiaries and resulted in average monthly income increases as high as 266 percent. 4) Engage key stakeholders.When it comes to social impact programs, who you partner with is equally as important as what you’re doing. Look for opportunities to engage with local governments, NGOs, community leaders, or other businesses and organizations. Qualcomm collaborates with more than 650 public and private organizations to make its programs a success. You may also want to look for opportunities to make strategic business connections - whether that’s a potential client, investor, or partner.Want to learn more? On December 7th, brand consultancy thinkPARALLAX is partnering with Qualcomm Wireless Reach to host a discussing how a social impact program can benefit both business objectives and communities.
Join me as I host Wireless Reach’s Kyle Moss and Harim Lopez-Landin, who will be sharing their insights for developing a strategic initiative that impacts communities, governments, NGO and business development.
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4 Steps Developing Program Social Responsibility Meaning
ByEffectively adopting CSR for your business requires developing a strategy for its implementation. The spectrum of possible CSR initiatives available to a company is mind boggling. You can start with a barebones approach — say, replacing disposable (and environmentally unfriendly) Styrofoam coffee cups with washable and infinitely reusable porcelain coffee mugs — or you can go all the way to a multiphase international CSR strategy that touches every part of your organization and has a direct and significant impact on the world. Kellie McElhaney is the faculty director of the Center for Responsible Business at the Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley.
In her book Just Good Business: The Strategic Guide to Aligning Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand (Berrett Koehler), Kellie describes seven rules to consider when developing an effective CSR strategy:.Know thyself. Your CSR strategy must be authentic and must ring true for your organization. The best way to ensure that this is the case is to closely match it to your company’s mission, vision, and values.
Employees, customers, and others will know when it’s not authentic, and your CSR strategy won’t have the desired effect.Get a good fit. The goals you select for your CSR strategy must fit your company and its products and services. For example, if your business is a boutique selling women’s clothing, then actively supporting breast cancer research is a good fit.Be consistent. Be sure that everyone in your organization knows what your CSR strategy and goals are and that everyone can express them consistently to one another — and to the general public. Your CSR efforts are multiplied when everyone in your company has a clear understanding of his or her role and is completely aligned with the program.Simplify. In developing and implementing a CSR strategy, simpler is usually better. Organic yogurt maker Stonyfield Farm’s mantra is simple: “Healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet.” Anyone can understand what the company is committed to accomplishing, and customers feel tremendous brand loyalty because they want to be a part of what Stonyfield is doing.Work from the inside out.
Csr Project Plan
Your CSR strategy isn’t worth the paper it’s written on if you haven’t engaged your employees in the process of developing and implementing it. Instead of forcing a CSR strategy on your employees, invite their active participation in creating it and then rolling it out. You’ll get better results and your employees will be pleased that you thought highly enough about them to involve them in the process.Know your customer. When developing a CSR strategy, it’s better to address the immediate needs of your customers before you try to solve all the problems of the world.
These customer needs often boil down to the most basic of human needs: safety, love and belonging, self‐esteem, and self‐actualization. If you can address these customer needs, you’ll have a customer for life.Tell your story. When you have your CSR strategy in place, don’t be afraid to publicize your efforts to be socially responsible along with your successes. Again, many people are attracted to companies that operate in a socially responsible way. If you don’t get out the word about your programs, you’ll lose this powerful advantage.
So tell your story — as often as you can — to your employees and to the general public. Use company newsletters and brochures, your website, and online social media such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.Above all, don’t spend hours, days, or weeks laboring over a CSR strategy, only to file it away and forget all about it. Integrate your strategy into your everyday business operations. In this way, you’ll gain the full benefit of corporate social responsibility — a benefit that can give you a distinct competitive advantage in the marketplace.