CSI Reporting - A key tool in delivering change

A comprehensive and inclusive CSI reporting framework gives not only the contributing parties a full picture of the impact being driven but also allows other corporates and individuals a sense of inspiration to also make their contributions to impacting the world around them more positively. If a company has been bold and successful in its CSI efforts, the release of its CSI report is as much a communication tool as it is a marketing and corporate communications event. In the absence of mandatory CSI guidelines, you can use these reports to highlight your organization’s achievements and build a more structured social responsibility framework into your brand’s identity.

While CSR reporting is hugely considered a communications tool that has a lot to do with positioning, this type of reporting also falls into Corporate Governance. When CSI reports are done consistently and regularly, they reflect on the accountability and transparency aspects of corporate governance. For instance, if your organization publishes its goal to be carbon neutral by 2025 in its 2021 CSR report, chances are employees will feel driven to accomplish that goal so its completion can be noted in the 2025 report. If a goal isn’t reached in its intended time, the CSR reporting process can prompt an examination of how the project went off track and what can be done to realign and accomplish the goal in a realistic timeframe.

CSR reports are a very effective way to communicate your business’s efforts, goals, and plans to help the environment and community, along with the impact it’s had so far. If, however, your business hasn’t started its social responsibility efforts yet, it’s never too late. Once the ball is rolling, design a CSR report outlining your company’s efforts. Even if it’s just a few pages long, explaining your efforts, impact, and plans is worth the time. If you’re driven by purpose and a clear plan, others may read about it and support your business on its journey toward corporate social responsibility.

To be the change we want to see in the world, we can only achieve this by thoroughly planning, meticulously reporting, and diligently working along with the guidance of the feedback we get from the report we make. CSI efforts are usually closely aligned to the organization’s holistic strategic framework and thus it is very important to treat CSI efforts as seriously as all business activities in the organization. The reporting aspect of the CSI work we do play the role of helping with making continuous improvements on our CSI work as well as the great organizational strategies.