Filed under: CSR & Sustainability | Tags: CSR, public affairs, stakeholders, Sustainability
NGO and media critique is no longer reserved for the usual suspects in the tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical industries. Today, no company can feel safe from being accused for lack of responsibility towards social obligations; animal welfare; child labour; or worker’s rights.
Almost 7 years ago, the European Commission kicked-off its Green Paper ‘Promoting a European Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility’. It was the ambition of the EU Commission to encourage European businesses to “acting voluntarily and beyond the law to achieve social and environmental objectives during the course of their daily business activities”. The European Union tried, in other words, to make the donkey dance by playing the tambourine rather than by using the traditional stick and carrot.
Third party endorsements
Research has shown how Danish companies are exposed to increased expectations from stakeholders. While still wanting the world to know about their good deeds, yet, they are reluctant to communicate the CSR messages themselves (Morsing, Schultz & Nielsen, 2003). Danish business executives instead rely on third-party endorsement from media or experts.
Danish minister for employment, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, was cited in a Danish newspaper in 2006 saying: “There is a tradition of not talking too much about corporate social responsibility. This is very sympathetic and very Danish, but when taking this stance it is difficult to see the economic potential. One should ask oneself: What is it that we are doing, and how can we use it to improve our image?”
For better or worse – your employees are the best ambassadors
I work for a company that wishes to do things right rather than saying the right things. The main rationale is simple: at one point of time it will be disclosed if there is a gap between what is done and what is said.
Will such a gap be disclosed by media? Not likely. Though the press and NGOs, as stated above, are increasing the pressure on corporations to act responsible, they only manage to reveal the tip of the iceberg. The most likely source of disclosure of social- and/or greenwashing activities will be your employees. For better or worse – they are your ambassadors. And they are numerous with an almost infinite number of relations to customers; future employees; and neighbours in the local society.
Jeopardizing with your image is when employing corporate social responsibility too much as a brand-device, rather than just doing things right.
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