Corporate Social Responsibility – what is it?
If you are just about to start to becoming interested in the idea of a socially responsible business & you are interested in the answers to the following questions, you will find them here!
What is CSR?
This is corporate social responsibility – companies besides focusing on their profits, turnover and income, decide to take care of something more: the environment, employees, people whose functioning in society requires support for various reasons (e.g. people with disabilities).
Currently, some companies treat CSR as a tool that warms their image, acting ad hoc & focusing on separate actions. However, corporate social responsibility is about something completely different – it should be embedded in the company’s DNA, be an integral and indispensable part of the strategy. Otherwise, it’s just good PR and not CSR.
The best results will be achieved by regularity & a clear, coherent vision of what socially responsible activities your company carries out.
Social responsibility covers 7 key areas:
- Organizational order
- Human rights
- Work placements
- Environment
- Consumer issues
- Social involvement
- Local community development
How did the concept of corporate social responsibility gain importance?
There would be no CSR without capitalism. 
In the 19th century, the most important factor in the operation of the company was profit. This was the reason why the notion of “bloodthirsty capitalism” was created, because, of course, ordinary workers suffered most in this pursuit of money.
After the Great Depression, Franklin Roosevelt introduced a reform program called New Deal, which can be considered the first harbinger of the idea of CSR, because it was then that employers were legally obliged to provide benefits for their employees: minimum wage, pensions and insurance.
The idea of CSR developed for good in the 1960s – the era of flower children who opposed globalization and capitalism, ruthlessly scoring business activities aimed only at profit and disrespect for the rights of the individual and the environment.
Is CSR charity?
Charitable activities, like those undertaken by socially responsible business, have one common denominator – it is doing good and helping, as well as building a positive image.
However, there are significant differences that make it impossible to equate charitable actions with CSR activities.
One of the most important is certainly the fact that charity is always characterized by a certain temporality, while socially responsible activities should be permanently included in the company’s strategy and mission.
Besides, charity actions usually focus on one specific issue – CSR is a set of consistently implemented activities that are accepted and committed by all employees of a company.
Why is it worth getting involved in CSR activities?
There is nothing wrong with asking: “But what will I get out of it?” There are quite a few benefits that should convince even those people who are simply focused on their own profits, and not in the good of the world and people.
First:
These are win-win activities – everyone wins – the employer / company gains a lot in the image, employees identify with it more (it is not another soulless exploiter), and other companies cooperate more willingly.
Secondly
A business that conducts consistent and thoughtful CSR activities gains new relationships, and the quality of the existing ones improves. It is not for nothing that the latest edition of the Marketing Bible, i.e. Kotler’s Marketing 4.0, which presents what the marketing of the new era should look like, puts so much emphasis on a human-centered approach and on relationships. What a nice change! 🙂
Thirdly
Gaining a competitive advantage over companies that do not conduct CSR activities.
According to the ISO 26000 standard, developed by the International Organization for Standardization in 2010, CSR activities may have an impact on:
- competitive advantage;
- the reputation of the organization;
- the ability to attract and retain employees, consumers, customers and users;
- employee morale, commitment and performance;
- views of investors, owners, donors, sponsors and the financial community;
- and the relationship of the organization with enterprises, government institutions, media, suppliers, similar organizations, customers and the community in which the organization operates.
Thanks to Przypominajka Foundation established by brandbook.agency, you can take advantage of the professional services of an advertising agency & at the same time help people with disabilities develop their qualifications and fulfill their potential. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the CSR offer for business.
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