Blogging CSR

As I thought more and more about setting up altfunction, I tried to find the decent blogs on CSR. I was staggered at how few there are. The good news is that Mark at the CSR in China gave an excellent summary of his favourites a few weeks back.

I regret not looking at CSR in China earlier - it's not that topic is not interesting and important, but it hasn't ever been a priority in the work I've been doing. The error in my ways is corrected and the blog is in my BlogLines*. In particular, I am glad Mark has put me on to Bill Zhang.

Bill is a student on the International Masters for Leadership in Sustainable Development run my my organisation, Forum for the Future, and Bill has been around these last few weeks, working in the floor upstairs from me. Did I know he had a blog? Ermmm, no.

But most fascinating it is. Another one for BlogLines. Shows how the internet shakes everything up: I am reading something from China that tells me about someone in the same building. Ho hum.

To finish this post, though I'd like to quote Mark on what makes a good blog:

I am convinced that blogs remain the best source of informed comment and learning. The websites of most institutions, universities and corporations just don't do it for me. Blogs are personal: they are full of flaws, contradictions, spelling mistakes and errors, but that's what makes it all so real. Contradictions and errors are what society is all about. None of us are perfect and we are learning all our lives, and blogs reveal insight, wisdowm, creativity and, most of all, passion.

*(What would be good, would be if Mark were to add Forum for the Future to his links under 'CSR refs: business'. After all, we work extensively with business on CSR and sustainable development. If he reads this, perhaps he will...)

Comments

[Chris Marshall]

CSR: How do you solve the two fundamental problems with CSR:

1). The corporation fundamentally doesn't actually care about the efficacy of the work that they are doing in any community. They don't care whether it is appropriate, sustainable, working, whether it is a high priority etc (I could go on). The only thing they care about is the perception of themselves as responsible.

2). When a publicly owned company "donates" in some form, this is essentially the board/executives of the company giving away their shareholder's money (ie. not their own). If the CEO of my company thinks that the Tsunami is a worthy cause, then let him give his own money, and persuade the shareholders to give theirs too. It is NOT his job to be giving away the company's cash.

A caveat to this I think should be "soft" donations, or donations-in-kind where a company can lend help in a non-monetary way (eg. loans of computers, office space, equipment etc etc).

I personally think that CSR is just another aspect of the blame/responsibility culture that is gathering pace throughout the west. We always think that someone else should be doing the giving; never ourselves. We never concentrate on the responsibility of individuals - only of organisations (I'm also thinking of governments here). Compare with the laughable hysteria from many quarters over how little the British government originally pledged to the Tsunami cause.

[Tim]

Chris

You're absolutely right about much of corporate philanthropy. I think that to many people CSR or corporate responsibility is corporate philanthropy.

Personally I am less interested in whether a company gives to charity than whether they give a damn about people who live nearby, or listen to customers, or treat employees and parts of their supply chain well.

This matters because
a) I don't like the idea that I am somehow complicit in something I disapprove of
b) More positively, I like to buy things that support the values I have
c) If I were a shareholder I would be concerned that significant risks are not being addressed - the likely impact of climate change, potential law suits etc

Good corporate responsibility and sustainable business practice is about the core business - it has a good values-based motive and a profit motive too.

[Paula]

This web-site is the coolest! Now I dont have to feel so intimated by science! Youre a genius! I think Ill visit this site often.
;)

[Dolores]

This is a cool site! Thanks and wish you better luck! Brilliant but simple idea.
;)

[Marcianna]

moi j arrive pa le lava l1
;)

[Walentyna]

Thanks for your project. I like this site. KEEP IT UP...

[Joachim]

Girls, have fun, not boys