Beyond Words: Communicating CSR Goals
Words are but a minor component of communication. Messages occur constantly, both intentionally and unintentionally, by every action (or inaction) taken by management. By Jeff Erikson
Several years ago I was part of a study team charged with determining why safety performance at an oil company’s North Sea affiliate was not meeting expectations. During interviews, several of those we talked with indicated that leadership was not “truly committed” to safety. A brief anecdote arose several times from the rank and file: Every night the affiliate’s general manager drove his car down a short one-way street — in the wrong direction. A seemingly insignificant action, and one remote from operational safety, but this inconsistency served to undermine the manager’s credibility, and consequently the seriousness of his words. So, given the hidden complexities of good communication, how can leaders use the many approaches available to them to convey a powerful, consistent and logical message that CSR is a corporate priority?
Statement of Commitment
This is, in simplest terms, the articulation of how the company intends to behave. It is often in the form of a “policy” which may be published externally, posted across the organization, and otherwise included in corporate literature. The statement of commitment is a necessary place to start, and if written well can be used as a framework for decision-making. Beware, however, of thinking that a statement of commitment adequately demonstrates commitment. Instead, it is merely a starting point, albeit an essential one.
The Issues and the Business Case
Business leaders need to do their homework. Understanding what CSR means to them and the company can help leaders to convey serious intent, and the ability to lead their organization to succeed. Leaders should be able to articulate why attention to CSR issues is important, how and where it will improve competitiveness, and whether it derives from a personal commitment to “leave the world a better place,” from a perspective focused on creating shareholder value, or perhaps a combination of the two.
Allocation of Resources
“Put your money where your mouth is.” The amount of resource allocated to CSR is another indicator of the seriousness of intent of senior management. Time, money, people and training are all necessary to achieve lasting change. An adequate level of resource alone will not guarantee success, but shortchanging resources is inviting failure. And a significant reduction in resources after the “initiative” phase of change is over may signal a lessened commitment to CSR, if not managed and communicated effectively.
Integration into Business Processes
Management systems, business plans, budgets, balanced scorecards, performance appraisals and audits are a few of the core business processes which should reflect the company’s commitment to CSR. Integration requires the involvement and ownership of support functions and business line staff and management. Consequently an added benefit of efforts to integrate CSR is the opportunity to raise the awareness of numerous individuals throughout the corporation. Leaving CSR out of core business processes may signal that, while CSR is important, it is not as important as the traditional elements of business.
Aligned Decisions
“How will things be different?” is a question often asked by employees as their company rolls out its CSR strategy. One clear signal is when significant business decisions are made in alignment with CSR policy or principles. Evident shifts — addressing what businesses or products the company invests in, the tenor and scope of major projects, what position the company takes on proposed legislation, and how the leadership deals with dilemmas — will send a very strong signal to employees on the seriousness of the company’s commitment to CSR.
Rewards and Consequences
People behave according to the consequences they perceive will result from their behaviour. How (and for what) an organization rewards its employees has a significant impact on what they view as important to their own career. Organizations which are committed to change must make employees aware of how CSR affects promotions, pay and work assignments, and back up their words by ensuring the CSR policy or principles are built into performance appraisals, promotion criteria and informal feedback.
Ubiquity
If CSR is truly important to an organization’s success, it should be talked about constantly. Executives, managers, supervisors and functional specialists should find ways to integrate discussion of CSR into speeches and daily communications. Until this becomes habit, it is sometimes necessary for an individual member of staff to have responsibility for CSR “product placement,” providing speechwriters and executives with the concepts or specific language which will help them to speak to CSR comfortably, until they take it as their own.
Recognizing that communication occurs in many varied formats, and ensuring that actions reinforce the spoken or written “commitment to CSR,” is essential to the effective integration of CSR into the way business gets done.
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This article has been reprinted courtesy of SustainAbility Radar. It first appeared in the October/November edition of that publication.