Corporate Social Responsibility - Do good ,Go your way.

Tenda wema,Nenda zako - Swahili proverb ' (Do good, go your way)

Swahili proverbs are rich in instruction, language and culture. The Kiswahili language was born out of the fusion of eastern Africa Bantu languages, Arabic and Persian and has existed over 3000 years. This random fact is important because it creates context for my observations and thoughts regarding the dilemma that I have faced over the years as a professional marketer - should corporates, brands, not-for-profits, philanthropies and other organizations advertise their Corporate Social Responsibility programs?

My inspiration for this article was triggered by a billboard I saw in Nairobi the other day of a Kenyan brand showing how they have helped a blind woman with a sewing machine and the impact that has had on her life, later that evening I came across a TV commercial from a toothpaste brand on how it has provided fresh water to a community in Kenya. This got me thinking... wait a minute! is this the direction we are taking? How far can a corporate go or even a philanthropic organization one for that matter in trumpeting their social initiatives and activities?

First, make profit.

While businesses exist primarily for profit or one could argue that they exist to generate benefits (value) for all stakeholders in the value chain. But they must generate revenue that is sufficient to cover all costs (including the cost of capital - be it from shareholder funds or loans from banks). Yet for this simple arithmetic to happen, the business must first provide value for its consumers either through providing products or offering services that customers are willing to pay for. So without sufficient revenue that comes in from customers, then the resources required to run business operations soon run out and they may eventually close shop.Thats why businesses will go to great lengths to employ armies of employees and specialists to ensure that eventuality does not happen. Without profit then survival is a dream at best.

Then- Do Good

Corporate social responsibility has evolved over the years as an idea and eventually grown as a practice that organizations have a responsibility to the society as a whole - even beyond known key stakeholders. This has evolved into a business strategy that enables businesses to ameliorate the impact of ts activities on the environment, Health and society and has become central to sustainability. Numerous surveys have also revealed that consumers are now more sensitive and have affinity to brands that are known to be actively engaged in positive contribution to the society. This is more apparent amongst younger consumers compared to the older folks and driving a global sustainability awareness amongst businesses. So doing good is good for all.

And go your way..

Giving back to society in whichever form or shape in my view is a moral obligation. Even when there are known benefits of CSR activities such as increased brand recognition which could drive affinity, improved customer loyalty and overall positive associations, corporates should give without wanting to get back from those that they give - That should never be the goal. A good sustainability strategy wether you call it CSR,CSI or any other corporate good initiative should have a clearly defined target that aligns with the core values of the organization. Consistent evaluation of the initiative's impact through engagement with target beneficiaries will give feedback into the strategy to inform the organization if they're on track or not. If well executed, the communication from the beneficiaries through their own channels and communities, word of mouth and social media gives back more than a 30 second advert - many times over.

For as the swahili proverb says - Tenda wema,nenda zako.. (Do good, go your way - your reward will come in due time)