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THERE IS NO SINGLE RULEBOOK FOR HR
PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE INTERESTED
IN FURTHERING CSR STRATEGIES
WITHIN THEIR COMPANY; BY THEIR VERY
NATURE, CSR ACTIVITIES MUST FIT THE
PERSONALITY OF THE ORGANIZATION.
“They’re working overseas in what
would normally be seen as a hardship post,
but they absolutely love it,” said Schneider.
This kind of buy-in grows organically.
One way to start is by setting up a crossfunction
committee or advisory teams
around different focus areas, says Nan
Oldroyd, an HR executive in Ontario.
“Communication is also key, whether
it’s a newsletter or internet or regularly
occurring meetings. How do you tell the
story about the progress you’ve made?” she
said.
“Companies have found ways to embed
this into hiring priorities and performance
evaluation priorities,” said Klein. “If you
are a sourcing person, finding ways to
source ethically could become part of your
evaluation and compensation.”
There is no single rulebook for HR professionals
who are interested in furthering
CSR strategies within their company; by
their very nature, CSR activities must fit
the personality of the organization.
“Often, CSR starts off as an initiative
that employees bring forward,” said
Schneider. “In a more mature state, it can
be circumstances where employees are
bringing forward questions about ethical
issues or an environmental footprint.”
This type of situation could pertain to
anything from encouraging double-sided
photocopying to ensuring that no supplier
is engaged in child labour. HR could
anticipate this type of request by including
CSR questions in routine employee
surveys.
Sometimes the initiative is top-down:
“We’ve seen many organizations where
the CEO will see the need to meet a higher
level of public expectation in a certain
area; that, sometimes, is a good place to
start,” said Schneider.
If a formal strategy is needed, “I would
address it in the same way that you address
business strategy,” said Oldroyd. “If
you’re looking for a key priority to be incorporated
into the business strategy, you
create your business case. You sit down
with the CEO and senior leadership team
and talk about the key benefits of investing
in it.”
A LONG-TERM PROCESS
“Regardless of the approach, implementing
CSR is a long-term process
that will require time and attention, and
will involve everyone in the organization,”
said Fisher Thornton. “It takes a
strong awareness to succeed in making
CSR a daily habit. Once there is strong
awareness, leaders can invite employees
to suggest ways that the organization
could embrace CSR more fully in its daily
work.”
Consistency and follow-through are
also important to having CSR work
properly.
“The critical thing with CSR is that
you have to make the commitment. You
have to go public about it – externally
and internally. You have to measure it,
so you are accountable to it and you can
celebrate milestones along the way, and
it needs to be genuine,” said Oldroyd. “If
you go into it because it’s about ‘looking
good,’ that will not ring as authentic
with investors, employees, customers or
any other stakeholders.” n
HRPATODAY.CA ❚ MARCH/APRIL 2016 ❚ 27
