Here's how you can create shared value for both the company and society through innovation in CSR.

Considered through the lens of communications, business leaders and decisions makers need to understand the potential positive reputational impact of a strong CSR practice. Businesses can elevate their reputations and distinguish themselves from competition by committing to and promoting authentic actions to create positive change in the world, whether through supply chain, philanthropic efforts, increased efficiencies, and more. These practices need to be authentic and must go beyond the basics to inform communications. To be effective, businesses must go beyond the basics, (consider Amazon's Housing Equity Fund or REI's #OptOutside campaign) and communicators must implement effective multi-channel strategies to engage key audiences.

CSR is not any pumped up version of philanthropy, however it is how you are not just making sustaiable environments but also giving your very own business food to survive forever. When you are ready to sacrifice a little bit of profit, and that too only in the beginning years of your first few CSR programs, you ensure scalable growth with long term profit. When you ensure you are taking care of all stakeholders balancing 3Ps - People, Planet and Profit, the first two take care of 3rd automatically. If you ensure you are replenishing what you take from nature, it also ensures survival of your business. So, when you think whether your business will live for next 100 years, you need to care about each life that breathes on this earth.

In our purchasing strategy, the CSR part is now key. This is essential and we ask all our suppliers/partners to make a very concrete commitment.

Align your business goals with sustainability objectives. Every decision made to achieve your business objectives should integrate sustainability principles. This approach fosters innovation, spurring growth that benefits society significantly. It leads to new job creation, increased employment opportunities, a healthier environment, personal growth alongside organizational development, and numerous other advantages...

Don't just do a lip service for social media or meeting some compliance however go one step further, understand the difference between charity and philanthropy, build something that actually brings a change. A mere awareness session for employees by visiting several non-profits and counting your social media votes does not help. Develop a strategic plan as per your employee strengths or business synergy and take the plunge to bring about a real change that can be measured like your business metrics. Ex: Don't just visit or do Pride sessions for LGBTQI+ but employ them or help them find suitable employment. Don't just give sponsorship to renewable manufacturers but buy their products for self use - be the consumer as well.

Create shared value through CSR innovation by analyzing impact. Use data analytics to measure outcomes of CSR initiatives, such as IBM’s Corporate Service Corps, which tracks community development and employee skills growth. Implement metrics like carbon footprint reduction and social benefit indices to gauge success. For instance, Nestlé’s Creating Shared Value (CSV) program analyzes the impact on nutrition, water, and rural development. Share findings in transparent reports to showcase benefits to both society and the company. This analysis helps refine strategies, ensuring CSR efforts are effective and mutually beneficial, driving continuous improvement and greater overall impact.

Analizar el impacto es simple respondiendo a esta pregunta: ?lo que hacemos enriquece a todos los actores vinculados, incluyendonos a nosotros? Si la respuesta es sí, avancemos; buscando mejoras. Si la respuesta es no, dejemos de hacerlo; pidamos disculpas por el da?o mientras reparamos lo que empobrecimos y ponemos las energías en buscar otro camino para hacerlo que resulte enriquecedor. El detalle, la sutileza deciviva, a tener en cuenta es: ?qué significa enriquecer? Enriquecer significa generar un cambio para mejor, que se sostiene sin dependencias en el tiempo, y que se mide en valores. Valores entre los que hay que considerar al dinero, pero que de ninguna forma es el principal -y mucho menos el único-.

Una de las preguntas que ayuda bastante para obtener los datos necesarios la enfocaría en la calidad. Un análisis para conocer este impacto del producto podría comenzar con preguntas sencillas de mejora ?Cuál es la situación de la calidad de mi producto y de mi proceso actual? , si continuo de esta forma ?Cuál será la situación en 5 a?os? y ?Qué puedo hacer para incrementar valor significativo? , por que no es únicamente hablar de crecimiento o de impacto, es tambien, ser conscientes de las condiciones actuales.

Conducting a comprehensive impact assessment involves both qualitative and quantitative analysis. Tools such as Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can provide insights into the environmental impact of products from production to disposal. Social impact assessments can evaluate how business activities affect local communities and workers. Engaging third-party auditors can also ensure the credibility and transparency of your impact analysis. By thoroughly understanding your impact, you can set realistic and impactful CSR goals.

Los grupos de interés se involucran cuando perciben que hay un interés genuino de generar resultados de valor que los abarca. Cuando notan que son convocados para cocrear soluciones que generan progreso. Cuando los intereses de cada una de las partes, y sus ambiciones, no pretenden eclipsar a las restantes sino que buscan la forma de que todos salgan favorecidos. Cuando comprueban que no han sido convocados para una foto sino para actuar en un película cuyo desenlace es la mejora de cada participante, sin generar dependencias. Los grupos de interés se comprometen cuando notan que todo lo plateado avanza, cuando sienten que forman parte del equipo y que son alcanzados por los resultados de valor que se generan; construyendo un mejor futuro.

El tema de involucrar a los interesados a un proyecto, es un proceso que dependiendo el tama?o y posición de la organización puede ser simple o complejo, pero es indispensable que los interesados en desarrollar este proyecto estén convencidos de que funcionará, además, de que no es simplemente comunicar, si no integrar sus funciones con ayuda de una matiz RACI, esto puede crear una cohesión en los interesados bastante interesante.

All our stakeholders in their field are also committed to improving the CSR impact. We work in collaboration/project to constantly challenge ourselves.

CSR programs are successful when you focus on triple bottomline improvement - It is viable and equitable that makes it sustainable. Hence, your vendors and customers must be alligned and believe in it. You need to educate, partner with them or convince them on why you are doing this. And today you will get green certificate only when you have more than 80 % green supply chain in your value chain. For example if your site is not powered by a cloud server (vendor choice) that is running on renewable power, you will not get green credit. If you buy it from green vendor (who is new and may have latency issues), your customers and any service impact has to be sailed through by innovation or customer education!

Profit and operating margins will not be high even when we build for-profit metrics for a non-profit! Hence you need to do it differently and creatively. Pilot projects provide you that feedback if you are going in right direction. Here you are making a difference in lives who otherwise have less or no choices. They can't find other donors or jobs easily in the market so you need to experiment so that you create best project that is sustainable and help non-profit to less dependent on you. Pilot projects and experimentation allows you to not just help your target non-profit but can improve the whole ecosystem (Govt policies, resource utilization, awareness quotient and beliefs of many more, even eye opener for non-profit charter).

Create shared value through CSR innovation by launching pilot projects. Test initiatives on a small scale to evaluate feasibility and impact. For example, Unilever’s "Project Shakti" trains rural women in India to sell products, boosting incomes and expanding market reach. Implement pilot programs for sustainable practices, like IKEA’s use of solar panels in select stores to assess energy savings and customer response. Monitor and analyze results to refine the approach. Successful pilots can be scaled up, driving broader benefits for society and business. Pilots allow for innovation, risk management, and demonstrating the tangible impact of CSR initiatives.

Creo que antes que un "proyecto piloto" que suena a pruebas en laboratorio donde quien se somete a la prueba es un actor pasivo; cuando buscamos un vínculo de valor con la comunidad de la que formamos parte lo razonable es contar con una estrategia alineada con nuestro negocio, propósito y valores que perseguimos para luego coCrearla con los diferentes grupos de interés para que nos facilte su aplicación. Esto no quita que la apliquemos en forma gradual y que aprendamos de la experiencia haciendo los ajustes que sean necesarios para obtener los mejores resultados para todos en forma de progreso sostenible. Cuando nos comprometemos con la comunidad lo hacemos como parte de ella y las soluciones -y mejoras- sociales se logran entre todos.

Creo que es una estrategia que funciona en empresas de gran escala para reducir los riesgos generados por los cambios, y funciona también como una tracción para permearlo a la organización, ya que es interesante escuchar la perspectiva y vivencia de estas iniciativas o proyectos piloto, además de que favorece la integración de otras áreas con distintas iniciativas, pero el fin común debe de ser dictado desde la cabeza de la organización, entonces, los proyectos piloto tienen sentido, si se alinea con el propósito fundamental de la empresa.

Lo que no se mide, no se puede mejorar, probablemente en este camino, vayan a existir cambios de ruta, y es importante medir si nos estamos acercando o alejando de nuestro objetivo principal, es te es un paso que no nos podemos saltar, en temas de RSC, valdría la pena que se establecieran desde el inicio estas métricas del proyecto, para poder tener una línea base que igual nos ayuda a marcar el tiempo fin de la iniciativa, y cuando es necesario cambiar por alguna otra mejor que nos impulse hacia lo que queremos lograr.

Measuring carbon impact, energy and water consumption are real challenges. All our partners nearby and far East are involved.

If you can't measure, you will not find the treasure! Just define your lead and lag indicators and track your progress regularly. These measures give you confidence, fix things to improve at a speed. Don't think CSR has different economic principles - Apply same set of yardsticks and principles as you do in your for-profit business. Ex: If you are supporting education, track improvement in marks, admission to colleges, females and LGBTQAI+ ratio and drop outs. And at a later stage employment. How many can be hired by your own company, etc. If you are supporting renewable manufacturers, are topeline and bottomline growing for them? Are they able to scale, etc? If you support organic farming, track adoption rate in non-organic families, etc.

Medir el éxito de la estrategia de Sustentabilidad (y de cada una de las acciones derivadas) es -conceptualmente- tan simple como medir el incremento de valor para cada uno de los grupos de interés involucrados -sin dejar de lado a la empresa que lleva adelante las acciones- y comprobar que ese valor se mantenga en crecimiento luego de que haya terminado la accion, sin que genere dependencia. Si lo que hacemos no genera valor estamos dilapidando recursos, y lo que hacemos no es estratégico; si lo que hacemos genera valor para algunos y no para otros, estamos -en algún grado- abusando de esos otros y tenemos que modificar lo que hacemos para que también los enriquezca. Parte del desafío es comprender, antes, qué valor persigue cada uno.

Implementing a robust measurement framework involves selecting key performance indicators that are aligned with your CSR goals. Use a balanced scorecard approach to capture financial, social, and environmental impacts. Leverage technology, such as data analytics and IoT, to track real-time performance. Engage independent evaluators to validate results and ensure accountability. Regularly review and adjust your strategies based on performance data to enhance the impact of your CSR initiatives.

Scaling up involves developing a detailed implementation plan that includes resource allocation, timelines, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Identify potential barriers and develop mitigation plans. Use a phased approach to scaling, starting with the most promising areas and gradually expanding. Continuously monitor and evaluate the scaled initiatives to ensure they remain effective and impactful. Foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation to sustain and enhance your CSR efforts over time.

Sacling up not just your project but for non-profits - Many a times these projects are not economically viable and depend upon continuous pumping of money by corporates to sustain them and once corporate stops funding these projects, the project and associated benefits and efforts of past many years goes dry. Create a model that is self-sustainability or hire people or contractors to carry it as this way you are also generating employment. Ensure non-profit do not need to keep begging money every year but have good pipeline of funds to support that project even when you are not there. Ex: Help them create a corpus fund that generates interest income to support some projects. Corporates can sign a contract how funds will be utilized.

Si nuestra estrategia de sustentabilidad está alineada con la estrategia de negocio y, además, enriquecimos a nuestros grupos de interés al aplicarla -tanto como a nuestra empresa-; escalarla equivale a continuar tanto el progreso como la mejora de los vínculos. Si todos crecimos como consecuencia de nuestras acciones el paso siguiente tiene que adecuarse a la nueva realidad de todos los actores teniendo en cuenta el diálogo que se generó en la interacción y los posibles cambios en los valores que persigue cada actor. Si los resultados se mantienen en crecimiento para todo los que intervienen, sin que se hayan creado dependencias; es la oportunidad para poner el foco en otro asunto y mejorar el vínculo con otros grupos de interés.

Let’s also consider courageous leadership in CSR. Moving from a focus solely on profits to a broader view that includes social and environmental impacts in business decisions. Leaders need to think long-term, aiming for growth that benefits both the business and society. They must have a strong sense of ethics, making choices that support human rights, protect the environment, and promote fairness. Leaders should also innovate proactively to solve problems before they arise and be transparent and accountable to build trust. By doing this, they can create a culture that meets today's challenges and helps build a better world.

Quizás la sugerencia más potente es la de poner foco especial en la innovación ya que la Sustentabilidad lo necesita fuertemente. El simple hecho de notar lo lejos que estamos de cumplir con los ODSs de la Agenda 2030, o notar que buena parte de las acciones que se implementan no son otra cosa que hacer lo que se "supone es correcto" montado sobre versiones de filantropía e intentos por formar parte de colectivos que muchas veces no tienen vínculo con la empresa y mucho menos con la estartegia de negocio. Hay profesionales muy valiosos y mucho talento disponible como para no animarse a innovar probando nuevos caminos, dispuestos a cambiar y corregir si fallan y a abrir caminos si triunfan. Hay mucho por construir sobre nuestra pasión!

Absolutely! As marketers, we have the responsibility to follow a sustainable path and advocate for green marketing. Our mission is to guide companies in adopting responsible practices step by step. "Many small people, who in many small places do many small things, can change the face of the world." This philosophy drives us. Sustainable change happens through continuous, small steps. We help companies integrate sustainable practices and make their products eco-friendly, contributing to a better world. Green marketing means promoting eco-friendly products and conveying responsible messages. We build transparency and trust through honest communication and innovative strategies.

One key consideration is the role of leadership in driving CSR innovation. Leaders must champion CSR initiatives and integrate them into the company's vision and strategy. Training and empowering employees at all levels is crucial. Another aspect to consider is the importance of collaboration across industries and sectors. By working together, companies can share best practices, pool resources, and create larger-scale impacts. Finally, stay informed about emerging trends and technologies that can enhance your CSR strategies, such as blockchain for supply chain transparency or AI for predictive analytics in environmental conservation.