How do you track your CSR performance?

1 Define your CSR strategy

Before you can track your CSR performance, you need to have a clear and coherent CSR strategy that aligns with your business vision, mission, and values. Your CSR strategy should define your specific objectives, targets, and actions for each of the relevant dimensions of CSR, such as governance, ethics, human rights, labor, environment, community, and customers. You should also identify the key stakeholders that are affected by or interested in your CSR activities, and engage them in your strategy development and implementation.

2 Choose your CSR indicators

Once you have your CSR strategy, you need to choose the appropriate indicators that will help you measure and communicate your progress and impact. Indicators are quantitative or qualitative measures that reflect the performance or outcome of a specific CSR aspect. For example, you can use indicators such as carbon footprint, employee satisfaction, or customer loyalty. You should select indicators that are relevant, specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART), and that cover the different levels of impact, such as input, output, outcome, and impact.

3 Collect and analyze your CSR data

To track your CSR performance, you need to collect and analyze the data that corresponds to your chosen indicators. You can use various methods and sources of data collection, such as surveys, interviews, audits, reports, or databases. You should ensure that your data collection is consistent, accurate, and reliable, and that you follow the ethical and legal standards for data protection and privacy. You should also use appropriate tools and techniques to analyze your data, such as statistics, graphs, charts, or dashboards, and to identify the trends, patterns, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.

4 Report and communicate your CSR results

The final step in tracking your CSR performance is to report and communicate your results to your internal and external stakeholders. Reporting and communicating your CSR results can help you demonstrate your accountability, transparency, and credibility, as well as showcase your achievements and challenges. You should use clear and concise language, visuals, and stories to convey your CSR message, and tailor it to the needs and expectations of your different audiences. You should also use recognized standards and frameworks for CSR reporting, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), or the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

5 Review and improve your CSR performance

Tracking your CSR performance is not a one-time activity, but a continuous process of learning and improvement. You should regularly review and evaluate your CSR performance, using feedback from your stakeholders, benchmarks from your peers or competitors, or external audits or certifications. You should also use the insights and lessons learned from your CSR tracking to update and refine your CSR strategy, indicators, data collection, and reporting, and to set new goals and actions for the future.

6 Use online tools and platforms for CSR tracking

If you want to make your CSR tracking easier and more efficient, you can use online tools and platforms that can help you manage and monitor your CSR activities and results. Online tools and platforms can offer you various features and benefits, such as data collection, analysis, visualization, reporting, communication, collaboration, or integration. Some examples of online tools and platforms for CSR tracking are CSRHub, Impact Cloud, B Lab, or Enablon.

7 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?