Talkin’ about a ‘quiet’ revolution…
Communicating Corporate Responsibility
When I was growing up, my mum always told me that M&S was a great company to work for. She didn’t know this because she’d ever worked for them, but because she had it on good authority that one of their many perks was getting a haircut for just £1.
The fact is M&S were probably leaders in the field of corporate responsibility. They knew then, as we know now, that corporate responsibility (CR) isn’t just about treating your staff well, but encompasses HR initiatives, green working practices and ways to get behind the local community.
It’s also now clear that the benefits of CR extend way beyond altruism, to a strong business case in terms of staff retention and buy-in, positive external perception, and increased sales. There are undoubted benefits to getting on ‘The Times Best 100 Companies/Green Companies/Small Companies to Work For’ – and not just because you’re seen as the good guys.
The danger is that CR can often be seen as something organisations simply need to do, compromising how it’s communicated. Websites with reams of content that no one reads are common, leaving staff and stakeholders no better informed or engaged with the company’s CR strategy.
The big environmental hitters recognise that if they’re harming the environment, they’d damn well better show how they’re also limiting the damage they do, otherwise global condemnation rains down on them.
By admitting their responsibility, not only do they look like they’re taking it seriously but they benefit by increased brand awareness and positive internal perception.
A great example is a leading electronics company, who invested heavily to reduce the amount of damage their products caused the environment. Their inventive tagline? ‘Sucks Less!’
I met the Head of Global CR from a multinational brand not long ago. He told me that he’d always believed that ‘giving’ shouldn’t be tainted by commercial opportunism. They give millions each year to charity and community groups, and even invested in a CR microsite to communicate this – but the problem was that it was full of content hidden in PDFs that no one read. They’d invested in the medium, but forgotten about the message.
What we discussed at that meeting was that by engaging their staff and stakeholders, they would add value to their original and substantial investment in CR. We are as far away from the 80s culture of ‘greed is good’ as we’ve ever been and many of us are already committed to making a difference, saving the planet and finding greater meaning in what we do. CR is not simply about giving, but also about getting back.
But how?
Perhaps you’re doing all the right things: employee volunteering, working with charities and communities and reducing your carbon footprint, but are you telling anyone? Because then instead of one overworked Comms Manager struggling to communicate your CR, everyone does. Customers, clients – even my mum!
Okay… so here’s the pitch… make a film about their experiences either singly or as a group, then show it to your other employees, put it on your intranet and get people engaged. Tell them about them, not you. If you’re supporting a charity or community group, donate a short film – charities rarely have funding to market themselves. That film will help them to fundraise, recruit volunteers or raise awareness – and you can put it on your website or show it at your AGM. Most importantly, tell human stories and leave the PDFs for the accountants.
If you want to discuss creative ways of communicating your CR or HR then give me a call on 020 7462 2706 or email: rita.shamia@redhouselane.com
