Many companies are aware they need to operate in a socially responsible way. But CSR is more than about recycling paper and using energy-efficient light bulbs in the office; it’s about sustainablility. And CSR done properly will lead to profitability.
Most organisations would like to be thought of as a good corporate citizen. After all, no operation wants to be classified as a rogue company and no plc can afford to thumb its nose at public opinion. So where does this leave corporate social responsibility? Is it enough for a company to simply be seen as doing something socially responsible? And when a company actually does CSR, is it then distracted from its core mission or does CSR enhance that core mission? If it enhances the core mission, is it unreasonable to expect to see some correlation between a strong commitment to CSR and a strong bottom line?
The Economist ran a report in January which suggested that much corporate spending on CSR amounts to a waste of shareholder funds, conveying no real benefit to the organisation. The good things in CSR, the report argued, are simply good company practice in any event; everything else is ‘greenwash’ and probably best avoided.
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