A business’s public image has always been important, hence the value of corporate social responsibility. Before the Internet, corporate social responsibility was more of a procedural runaround for businesses, which could accomplish their responsibilities with some donations to charity and employee volunteer time. Over the past two decades, though, that has changed considerably. Not only is accountability more important, but the rise of a digital age and rising importance of social media have impacted CSR across the board.
The biggest challenge, though? Even when entrepreneurs and small-business owners have a great idea and team in place, a CSR strategy can often go overlooked. There are so many aspects to forming a business – from finance and client relations to recruitment – that CSR can fade in the distance occasionally, despite its importance.
To maintain a firm and consistent focus on corporate social responsibility, entrepreneurs and small-businesses owners should consider using these tips on how to do CSR right:
Involve Customers in Your Cause
When selecting a charity or cause for your business to support, realize that the effect doesn’t have to be limited to your employees. Spreading the word about your business’s charitable efforts on social media, while simultaneously encouraging followers to help as they can, exudes a compassionate and hardworking public image. Posting links and words of support to whatever cause you’re involved with across social media, email newsletters and blogs will go a long way in making charitable efforts count, both for the cause itself and your business’s PR image.
Crowdsource Ideas for Social Responsibility
There is a vast array of worthwhile options regarding donations of time and/or money. From disease research to aiding Third-World countries, there is a long list of causes that need help. One business can’t tackle them all, so it’s prudent to focus on several that your employees feel most compassionate about. Conducting a survey or open meeting to crowdsource ideas is a great way to engage employees in the final cause by providing them influence in the decision.
It’s a go-to strategy for many businesses. Research from Weber Shandwick and KRC found that 44 percent of Fortune 200 companies used crowdsourcing to aid in the decision-making process for a business’s social responsibility strategy. It’s generally a great way to simultaneously find ideas and elevate office culture.
Partner With Other Businesses and Organizations
Partnering with other organizations, whether it’s a niche-related competitor or charity organization, makes the entire corporate social responsibility process more seamless. One’s business can work directly with an organization to make a meaningful difference. Plus, the attention provided from the partnered organization’s own social media following should result in new leads. Partnering is an especially worthwhile idea to consider for new businesses that may not have the immediate resources to launch a substantial CSR campaign. A solid partnership could certainly generate more positive results than a poorly planned campaign that’s independent.
Make Philanthropy Part of the Business’s Core
Some businesses make a great effort toward CSR for some time, later neglecting it when their business grows larger and social media cannot be as heavily scrutinized. Even for large businesses, CSR is massively important in regard to bringing in new leads and maintaining a positive image. When a business embeds a philanthropic culture from the get-go, it’s likely those habits will sustain throughout its growth. Philanthropy involved consistently within a growing company can only be a good thing.
A strong and consistent emphasis on philanthropy will convince customers that your business is involved for more than just the check and positive attention, potentially providing an edge when would-be customers are deliberating whether to use your business or a competitor.
Resort to Stakeholders if Necessary
It’s common for a small business, after crunching its budget, to find very little to use on CSR – even when they recognize its great importance. In this strapped-for-cash scenario, it’s not wrong for a business to go to any stakeholders or investors with an elaborate plan regarding a CSR strategy. Information to discuss includes who you intend to partner with, how much it may cost, how it will be integrated into social media and what the potential reward is in terms of leads and public image. If the plan is good, prudent stakeholders will recognize it as a worthwhile investment and fund it.
Create a Section for CSR on Your Website
Any business with a meaningful CSR strategy should have a section on its website that lists any involvement in the past, present and future with charities or other socially responsible organizations. ABWE International’s Give page is a great example of CSR website integration. The page lists featured giving projects, in addition to a Planned Giving section where visitors can donate in a variety of ways. A sidebar provides options for visitors to give online, view the company’s giving projects, view non-cash donation options and what to anticipate as a new donor. Providing visitors everything they need to know about CSR is a great way to reinforce its importance and value to the business.
Fantastic corporate social responsibility has a number of benefits, including potential for increased leads, a more positive public image and improved customer service. Businesses of all sizes can utilize an effective CSR strategy to improve their long-term prospects and overall likability, which is an important factor for any new business. The six tips above will help any business get started on an effective corporate social responsibility campaign.