Dr Mohamed Kirat
By Dr Mohamed Kirat
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now an industry in its own right. In the last few years the practice has proliferated across the globe. Big corporations hire consultancy firms to advise them on how to implement CSR and let the public know they are doing it. Most multinational companies also have a senior executive charged with developing and coordinating CSR activities, and produce a CSR report every year to disclose their worldwide CSR commitments and support to community and philanthropic projects related mainly to sports, health, the environment, education, heritage and the arts. In general, CSR is activity undertaken by corporations beyond profit-making, which includes protecting the environment, caring for employees, stakeholders and shareholders, being ethical in their operations, and contributing to the local community and sustainable development. Some of the main goals are promoting human rights, community involvement, human resources management, transparency, workers rights, and health and safety.
Corporate social responsibility is usually based on four pillars: Environment, sustainable development, workers’ rights/human rights, and combating bribery and corruption. It is widely defined as the way corporations integrate social, environmental and economic issues and concerns in their values, culture and practices. CSR activities also include fostering industrial relations, respect for diverse cultures and disadvantaged peoples, corporate philanthropy and employee volunteering. CSR is also concerned with customer satisfaction and adherence to principles of fair competition, accountability, transparency and performance reporting, and supplier relations for both domestic and international supply chains.
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan once said: “Our biggest challenge this century is to take an idea that seems abstract — sustainable development — and turn it into reality for all the world’s peoples.” In other words, current and future generations’ needs cannot be met without respect for natural systems and international standards that protect the core values of societies and the environment. CSR is gradually becoming a mainstream activity. It started in the 1950s, and was referred to as social responsibility (SR), basically because modern corporations had not attained prominence in the business sector yet. In 1953, Bowen wrote a book, Social Responsibilities of the Businessman, which is considered the beginning of the modern period of literature on this subject. Since then, many people have defined CSR activities. Today, companies that take up CSR projects are viewed favourably over those that don’t. In addition, when companies have a vision that goes beyond products and profits, consumers are eager to engage with them as their image would be good. To be successful in the long term, companies need to think beyond what affects them today and start focusing on what’s going to happen tomorrow. This isn’t just about addressing changes in technology or the needs of customers, but is also about taking into account changes in social, environmental and governance issues.
Responsible businesses that care about the environment have managed to attract more investors, reduced their risks and addressed stakeholder concerns. A company with CSR projects is seen as committed to it cause. For example, a company that uses sustainable equipment for its products or donates financial aid to environmental causes would be showing true commitment to the environment. In this way, CSR helps companies build their image and manage their reputation. Social media are becoming an integral part of CSR. When corporations participate in social responsibility projects they appear all over the social media and this helps create positive branding, and it is an ideal way to communicate with the audience on a level other than their products or services. When a company engages in CSR activities, its relations with the government get strengthened and it has an easier experience when dealing with politicians and government regulators. In other words, the more positive the public perception when a company takes its social responsibility seriously, the less it is likely that activist groups will launch public campaigns and demand government inquiries against it.
Employees are also attracted by CSR because it gives them pride and a sense of belonging in the firm. Indeed, when employees feel they are working for a company that has a conscience, they are more inspired and engaged in their jobs. This fosters team spirit, which leads to better productivity. All in all, CSR offers a set of values on which companies can build a more cohesive society that can be a base for a shift to sustainability. Corporations have to engage more and more in CSR to fulfil their responsibilities towards sustainable development, globalization, governance, communications, ethics, and the community. Failure to have a company CSR strategy means losing a lot in terms of image and reputation.
(Kirat is a professor of public relations and mass communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.)By Dr Mohamed Kirat
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is now an industry in its own right. In the last few years the practice has proliferated across the globe. Big corporations hire consultancy firms to advise them on how to implement CSR and let the public know they are doing it. Most multinational companies also have a senior executive charged with developing and coordinating CSR activities, and produce a CSR report every year to disclose their worldwide CSR commitments and support to community and philanthropic projects related mainly to sports, health, the environment, education, heritage and the arts. In general, CSR is activity undertaken by corporations beyond profit-making, which includes protecting the environment, caring for employees, stakeholders and shareholders, being ethical in their operations, and contributing to the local community and sustainable development. Some of the main goals are promoting human rights, community involvement, human resources management, transparency, workers rights, and health and safety.
Corporate social responsibility is usually based on four pillars: Environment, sustainable development, workers’ rights/human rights, and combating bribery and corruption. It is widely defined as the way corporations integrate social, environmental and economic issues and concerns in their values, culture and practices. CSR activities also include fostering industrial relations, respect for diverse cultures and disadvantaged peoples, corporate philanthropy and employee volunteering. CSR is also concerned with customer satisfaction and adherence to principles of fair competition, accountability, transparency and performance reporting, and supplier relations for both domestic and international supply chains.
Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan once said: “Our biggest challenge this century is to take an idea that seems abstract — sustainable development — and turn it into reality for all the world’s peoples.” In other words, current and future generations’ needs cannot be met without respect for natural systems and international standards that protect the core values of societies and the environment. CSR is gradually becoming a mainstream activity. It started in the 1950s, and was referred to as social responsibility (SR), basically because modern corporations had not attained prominence in the business sector yet. In 1953, Bowen wrote a book, Social Responsibilities of the Businessman, which is considered the beginning of the modern period of literature on this subject. Since then, many people have defined CSR activities. Today, companies that take up CSR projects are viewed favourably over those that don’t. In addition, when companies have a vision that goes beyond products and profits, consumers are eager to engage with them as their image would be good. To be successful in the long term, companies need to think beyond what affects them today and start focusing on what’s going to happen tomorrow. This isn’t just about addressing changes in technology or the needs of customers, but is also about taking into account changes in social, environmental and governance issues.
Responsible businesses that care about the environment have managed to attract more investors, reduced their risks and addressed stakeholder concerns. A company with CSR projects is seen as committed to it cause. For example, a company that uses sustainable equipment for its products or donates financial aid to environmental causes would be showing true commitment to the environment. In this way, CSR helps companies build their image and manage their reputation. Social media are becoming an integral part of CSR. When corporations participate in social responsibility projects they appear all over the social media and this helps create positive branding, and it is an ideal way to communicate with the audience on a level other than their products or services. When a company engages in CSR activities, its relations with the government get strengthened and it has an easier experience when dealing with politicians and government regulators. In other words, the more positive the public perception when a company takes its social responsibility seriously, the less it is likely that activist groups will launch public campaigns and demand government inquiries against it.
Employees are also attracted by CSR because it gives them pride and a sense of belonging in the firm. Indeed, when employees feel they are working for a company that has a conscience, they are more inspired and engaged in their jobs. This fosters team spirit, which leads to better productivity. All in all, CSR offers a set of values on which companies can build a more cohesive society that can be a base for a shift to sustainability. Corporations have to engage more and more in CSR to fulfil their responsibilities towards sustainable development, globalization, governance, communications, ethics, and the community. Failure to have a company CSR strategy means losing a lot in terms of image and reputation.
(Kirat is a professor of public relations and mass communication at the College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University.)
