How can your company's CSR strategy help you build a positive relationship with NGOs?

1 Why NGOs matter

NGOs are independent and diverse organizations that work on various issues, such as human rights, environmental protection, poverty alleviation, health, education, and more. They often have a strong reputation, influence, and network in their fields, and can reach out to different stakeholders, such as communities, governments, media, and donors. By engaging with NGOs, you can benefit from their knowledge, insights, and resources, as well as enhance your credibility, transparency, and accountability. NGOs can also help you identify and address the social and environmental impacts of your business, and support you in implementing and improving your CSR initiatives.

3 How to communicate with NGOs

Communication is key to building a positive relationship with NGOs. You need to be transparent, honest, and respectful when you reach out to them, and show genuine interest and commitment to their cause and work. You also need to listen to their perspectives, concerns, and expectations, and acknowledge their expertise and experience. You can use various channels and formats to communicate with NGOs, such as emails, phone calls, meetings, reports, newsletters, social media, webinars, and events. You should tailor your communication style and content to the specific NGO and context, and avoid jargon, acronyms, or technical terms that may cause confusion or misunderstanding. You should also communicate regularly and consistently, and provide updates and feedback on your CSR activities and outcomes.

4 How to collaborate with NGOs

Collaboration is the next level of engagement with NGOs, where you work together on a common goal or project. Collaboration can take different forms and scopes, depending on the nature and objectives of the partnership. For example, you can collaborate with NGOs by sponsoring, funding, or donating to their programs or campaigns, by providing your products, services, or resources to support their activities or beneficiaries, by co-creating or co-delivering solutions or innovations that address a social or environmental challenge, or by advocating or lobbying for a policy or regulatory change that benefits both parties. Collaboration requires trust, mutual respect, and clear roles and responsibilities. You should also establish a formal agreement or contract that outlines the terms and conditions of the partnership, such as the duration, scope, budget, deliverables, and evaluation methods.

5 How to measure and report your CSR impact with NGOs

One of the challenges of CSR is to measure and report the impact of your actions and initiatives on the environment and society, as well as on your business and stakeholders. This is where NGOs can help you, as they often have the expertise, tools, and data to assess and quantify the outcomes and effects of your CSR efforts. You can work with NGOs to define the indicators and metrics that are relevant and meaningful for your CSR strategy and goals, and that align with the global standards and frameworks for sustainability. You can also use their feedback and recommendations to improve your CSR performance and practices. You should report your CSR impact with NGOs in a transparent and credible way, using various channels and formats, such as CSR reports, websites, social media, press releases, and events. You should also highlight the stories and testimonials of the people and communities that benefit from your CSR initiatives, and acknowledge the contributions and achievements of your NGO partners.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?