News
2010-03-25
Human Social Responsibility – Social at the Core
For many companies, the approach to CSR goes something like this: Get some money, if it reaches a big number of people and the right charity (children are always a good pick) it will make headlines, and then forget about it, because business is the real thing.
This sounds cynical, but not all companies are the same. Some innovative companies have already realized that CSR does not need to be an extra headache to agonize over if “doing good” is placed at the centre of their business strategy, rather than as an optional extra.
Often these companies are leaders in other areas too – including being ahead of the curve in understanding the impact social media is having on business – and the real trailblazers among them have already tapped into the power of social media to give their CSR efforts a boost.
GE’s Ecomagination, which “aims to solve the world’s biggest environmental problems while driving profitable growth” – has done more for GE than any other initiative.
Smarter Planet is an IBM initiative that involves sustainability issues and began a global conversation about how the planet is becoming smarter. It is now at the center of IBM’s business model and involves the company, staff, and clients interacting across social media in a true trialogue.
Check out Carrotmob. These guys leverage the power of social media to challenge manufacturers to innovate and improve in areas (normally environmental issues) that are important to them – and reward the companies that act on these challenges with their purchasing power. For example, one typical blog post on the Carrotmob site reads: “The Bonn turnout was great – approximately 300 carrotmobbers spent 2,269 Euros in only 3 hours. Bioladen “Biokultur” in Kessenich promised to donate 20% of their revenue from the day to energy efficiency improvements, making for a total impact of 453 Euros!”
Because corporations are usually made of decent human beings, in the age of people power, CSR should now move beyond corporate social responsibility to become HSR – Human Social Responsibility. Backed by the weight of huge balance sheets – HSR needs to comprise acts of generosity that people can see, feel, touch, and track to the end destination. They want accountability and transparency; to be able to see the faces of the recipients, and (why not?!), chat over the Internet at the same time.
In this marketplace, people’s initiatives and ideas now have the potential to meet staff’s energy and corporate resources. This will make acts of kindness, being green, and ethical practices a mark of true leaders – companies which will reach the future first.
This is a summary of a complete article that will be published in the regional press in the coming weeks.