Depressing Recession
What we who work in social responsibility have been on watch for is CSR being swept aside as mere survival becomes the storyline. Yet what I’m afraid of now is different: that CSR is for many a volunteer activity and not the main responsibility and therefore requires a lot of internal motivation, something that’s hard to come by when water cooler talk revolves around the latest depressing statistic - or even worse, whose job is in peril. It’s times like these that the bright tomorrow becomes just a bit too distance to spend a lot of time on.
I agree that this may be the knee-jerk response of some, particularly those who identify CSR narrowly in terms of community service or other forms of volunteerism.
Our jobs, as professionals, is to continue to press for a more holistic understanding of what makes up the CSR process — volunteerism, governance, innovation, human rights, and on — considerations that must be incorporated into the DNA of a company’s strategic business approach.
I know: easily said… But the truth is (and I must admit I’m not so outspoken with clients who pay my bills) that within a relatively short time, *all* businesses will either adapt to this methodology, or perish. Moreover, the pressures to adapt are actually more intense during economic downturns, when the branding, competitiveness, and HR advantages of effective CSR thinking are accelerated.
Your thoughts were absolutely confirmed in this week’s Harvard Business School Global Summit - I don’t think it’s necessary to hold back with clients anymore about the importance of CSR, as the future of capitalism is in danger unless we address the anger over inequities and reckless behavior by a dramatic change in behavior.
Look for my post on this extraordinary event and the market events that surrounded it tomorrow.