Corporate Social Responsibility Benefits of Practical Application

Learning Outcomes:

–  Gain an understanding of the range of benefits that accrue from the application of CSR in a business setting

A strategic approach to CSR is crucial to an organisation’s success. CSR can bring various benefits in terms of risk management, cost savings, access to capital, enhanced brand reputation, customer and employee relationships, and innovation capacity. CSR encourages more social and environmental responsibility from the corporate sector at a time when the crisis has damaged consumer confidence and the levels of trust in businesses have dipped.  Those companies who are socially responsible can improve their brand reputation, attract more customers, and increase stakeholder engagement and value. Promoting CSR has the potential to enhance organizational performance and reach strategic goals in the digital age.

Why CSR is Important

There are many reasons for a company to engage in CSR practices. 

1. Brand Reputation.

It’s increasingly important for companies to have a socially conscious image. Consumers, employees, and stakeholders prioritize CSR when choosing a brand or company, and they hold corporations accountable for their impact on social change through their beliefs, practices, and profits. 

What clients and the public think of your company is critical to its success, By building a positive image that you believe in, you can make a name for your company as being socially conscious.

To stand out among the competition, your company needs to prove to the  that it is a force for good. Therefore advocating and raising awareness for socially important causes is an excellent way to increase brand value. 

In addition sustainable development could help a business financially. For example, using less packaging and less energy can reduce production costs

Key takeaway: CSR practices play a crucial role in attracting new customers, whose purchasing decisions are strongly influenced by the company’s values, reputation, and social and environmental activism.

2. CSR Attracts and Retains Employees.

Having a CSR and sustainability strategy is a big factor in where today’s top talent chooses to work. Employees is seeking employers who are focused on the triple bottom line: people, planet and revenue. Companies are encouraged to put increased profit into programs that give back to society.

According to Deloitte’s 2021 Millennial and Gen Z Survey, the modern workforce prioritizes culture, diversity, and high impact over financial benefits. An estimated 44% of millennials and 49% of Gen Zers rely on their personal ethics in determining the type of work and companies they’d join.

Employees that share the company’s values and can relate to its CSR initiatives are much more likely to stay. Deloitte’s 2020 Global Marketing Trends Report shows that purpose-driven companies retain talent up to 40% more than their competitors.

3. CSR increases the Appeal of an Organisation to Investors.

A developed CSR program and initiatives is appealing to both current and future investors. CECP’s influential 2021 Giving in Numbers report shows that investors play a growing role as key stakeholders in corporate social responsibility. Almost 80% of surveyed businesses were open to providing them with data and considering their perspectives on sustainability. Investors are holding businesses accountable when it comes to social responsibility. 

CSR aligns with environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics that help external analysts quantify the company’s social efforts, and becomes a key factor for investors’ consideration and continued interest.