In the last decade many studies have proven that consumers are willing to shell out an extra buck for the companies doing good. In management terms, known as ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’, has been a measure of an organization’s intent to work for the greater good of the stakeholders rather than shareholders.
Organizations that undertake considerable CSR activities are shown to garner a higher level of interest from prospective employees too. Pre-pandemic CSR was not tough with existence of so many non-profit organizations. Companies often wrote off cheques to philanthropic causes and deemed it as the CSR initiative for the year. With the pandemic as everything has gone virtual, stakeholders are now questioning organizations CSR commitments.
As the world is battling a crisis, CSR today is more important than ever. An organization’s commitment to CSR in turbulent times shows that the organization cares about the society, employees, and customers. Your employees would be proud to work for you and be proactive in taking part in these activities.
Here are 5 ways in which you can re-emphasize your commitment to CSR in a virtual world:
Support an NGO that is organizing pandemic relief
As the pandemic was sudden and unexpected, many non-profit organizations plunged in to offer support to the low income groups or those communities adversely affected by the pandemic. Support these efforts and help your community. Your customers will surely appreciate these efforts.
Organize virtual team relief efforts
This will not only support CSR but also help in your team building initiatives. Send out coupons or help to support your remote employees in taking care of their communities. Whether they want to help out local pet shelters or retirement homes, let your employees know that you are there. Let your teams co-ordinate efforts among themselves. This can also help in team bonding.
Offer support to families of your employees
Some of your employees or their families might be adversely affected by the pandemic. Send them gifts, care packages or resources to help them recover. Also organize information about the pandemic and make it available across your organization. Lack of information has also been one of the struggles during this pandemic.
Offer career mentorships
This can be a great way to engage your executives and attract prospective talent. With school’s shutdown and many companies laying off staff, there is no better time to look for career counselling. Many millennials and gen Z are already looking for mentoring. Offer free mentoring sessions and lend your organization to academic initiatives.
Help other small businesses
This may or may not apply to your organization. But, if you are in the service industry, offer support to other small businesses. For example, offer online resources or help them spread the word about their services online. This can help you win some long time collaborations.
Whether working remotely or from the office, there is never a shortage of initiatives to be socially responsible.
