You may have heard the abbreviation CSR tossed around in your workplace, amongst friends and in social gatherings, but you have not stopped to think about the meaning or its significance.
Or perhaps, you know that CSR stands for “CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY”, and while you may be better than the person who is unaware of this, you have never really been involved while executing one.
Maybe you have been part of the planning committee, but it was just a means to getting an excellent appraisal at the end of the year or ticking off on a deliverable.
Yet, the truth remains, creating and executing corporate social responsibility activities in the workplace can contribute significantly to client and employee engagement.
Great companies like Google and Nike are no strangers to this concept. Whether in the workplace, concerning the environment, or charitable giving, big organizations are at the forefront of impacting the world.
It should not in any way lead you to conclude that corporate social responsibility initiatives are synonymous with large organizations. No matter the company’s size, they can engage incredible corporate responsibility initiatives that impact the world around them.
Suppose you are looking to learn about some interesting CSR activities you can implement for your organization, keep reading. In this piece, we will share some CSR ideas that will be of help to you, but first:
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What Is Corporate Social Responsibility?
The idea that organizations should give back to the world, starting from their workforce and immediate community, describes Corporate Social Responsibility. Giving back could be one or a combination of the following:
- Money
- Resources
- Skills
- Policies
The ultimate goal of any CSR idea is to find and execute a cause that aligns with your organization’s values and culture and impacts the world. But then, the question arises; Why should any organization commit resources to such an initiative?
While it is true that CSR events are with no intention of making a profit, there is still a lot to gain when you engage in CSR activities, some of which are listed below;
Benefits of CSR Activities
A. Impact on Community
When organizations execute corporate social responsibility ideas, they positively influence the local community and the world.
When organizations create sporting events in a city, they bring together a bunch of raw talent yet to be discovered and give them a platform to showcase their talents to the world.
When organizations donate vehicles to security outfits, they contribute their quota to ensuring the safety of the citizens in that country, including their employees and clients.
Whatever initiative you decide to run with, it is vital to get employees involved and invested in the initiative.
B. Impact on the Bottom Line
Corporate social responsibility events can contribute to the organization’s bottom line in more ways than one. The first way is via EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT.
Employees will get buzzing when they hear about CSR activities, especially those where they get to play an active role. It gives them a purpose and makes them believe that they are a part of something significant and impactful.
CSR activities could increase employee retention and productivity in a world where employees no longer take jobs based on salary alone and consider workplace culture and values. When employees see that you are committed to a cause, it inspires them and even enlightens them on how your business impacts the world.
The second way is CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT. According to a survey by NielsenIQ in 2015, over 50% of clients will purchase products from a company that prioritizes sustainability (which is a top CSR initiative).
These statistics reveal one thing; clients and customers will purchase from companies that instead encourage and execute CSR initiatives.
Now that you can see how valuable CSR ideas are, let’s show you some examples of corporate social responsibility activities you can consider for your organization.
3 CSR Ideas for Your Organization
1. Volunteering
This is one of the best CSR ideas, especially when engaging employees and making them a part of something worthwhile. Employees cannot be overemphasized by creating time to volunteer for causes dear to them or the organization.
Volunteering opportunities in the workplace have tremendous benefits for the organization, employees and the local community. It makes employees feel better about their employer, and it helps them develop people and teamwork skills that are critical in the workplace.
The community is not left out; CSR activities allow employers and employees to engage with the local community, show genuine love and care, and build trust with the community.
Some examples of volunteering include cleaning up the community beach, getting involved in a breast cancer awareness walk, working at the local orphanage home etc.
Find whatever works for your organization and get to it.
2. Charitable Giving
Earlier in this article, we identified money as one of the elements in corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Money does not only make the world go round; money meets needs, solves issues, and can impact a person, a community and the world at large if appropriately channelled.
Charitable giving organizations do not have the human resources available to create their own CSR event; charitable donations to already established causes always acknowledge their impact.
While some organizations like to keep donations like this a secret, it does help your public image that the community or at least your employees are aware that you are part of something impactful.
Find an NGO or a cause that aligns with your passion and commit some resources to this.
3. Workplace Policies
Charity begins at home, so it is essential that while you aim to change your community and the world at large, you must be doing something to impact the lives of your employees also. Yes, you can put CSR activities into practice within your organization.
Wondering where to start, you can implement new workplace labour policies that show you value and care for your employees. Such policies include diversity initiatives, extended parental leave, free health checkups, etc.
Your employees are one of the most valuable assets. Therefore, anything that can improve their lives in and out of the office should be implemented.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) encompasses various organizations utilizing time and resources to influence their employees, clients, and world positively.
However, kick-starting these activities can be very daunting. Having great ideas is not enough; you need committed employees on board to have great success.
To get this, you may need to start a company-wide training, hold seminars on its importance and benefits. Visit www.thezone.ng to book a training hall for your employees today.
