How to Fast-Track Corporate Social Responsibility
Izabela Lundberg, M.S.
Resilience, Result & ROI Momentum Champion ? Strategic Advisor To Billion Dollar Brands ? Top 40 Global Thought Leader ? TEDx Speaker ? #1 Best-Selling Author "From Fear To Greatness" ? Forbes ???????
By now if you are one of my 14,500+ LinkedIn followers, you know what I am passionate about and what I stand for. But if you are a new reader, please know that I believe leadership is a core and most fundamental aspect of all that we do – publicly and privately. What I am talking about in our blogs are new concepts, approaches and trends of leadership suitable for the demands of current and future corporation needs.
Conducting your buisness in a socially responsible way is good business. It means that you can attract better employees and that customers will know what you stand for and like you for it. ~ Anthony Burns, CEO Ryder Systems 1944
Based on popular demand, especially to my readers of the Entrepreneur Magazine for Arab Nations, I would like to offer a Glocal (merged local, global and virtual environments) Strategic Leadership, a 1:1 perspective on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The key is that when we look at CSR, we need to look at it as a fundamental practice of a good glocal citizen! Why? Let's take a quick look:
Beyond making a profit by supplying needed services or products, why are we in business? It is a big question. What type of influence and reputation do we have and who we are attracting into our business? Who are our partners, vendors, investors, consumers, and leaders?
When CSR is well defined and integrated through a business model with efforts beyond minimum of regulatory requirements, we will extend and exceed tremendous results long term. It will allow innovation, and employee and customer engagement to take a place that will ultimately drive cost saving and brand differentiation among competition, including trend-setting regardless of the industry.
To obtain these results, it is vital to take a look at the flowing three core elements:
1. Value-Based Culture – You can’t have it without excellent leadership presence! Regardless of how big or small a corporation is, shared core values, common language, executive leadership commitment and support, and strong moral presence and courage are some of the most vital elements for CSR to thrive.
2. Business Conduct Beyond Legal Requirements – Organizations that are struggling to act responsibly today, may not get a second chance tomorrow. Organizations that harness the responsibility aspect so well and are now marching further are the ones that are going places for a long run. In fact they are trendsetters and role models to others!
3. Going Beyond Corporate Priority – Beyond confined safeguards of compliance, guidance and safeguards related to possible media coverage into a well-crafted glocal social and ethical culture that is positively influencing not only its employees but society as a whole. By institutionalizing ethical values that would make your own family and friends proud, you will achieve far-reaching goals so much easier and faster.
The fact is that we live in a new era where digital environments are changing the cultural fabrics of the organizations and continue to dictate changes on daily business. The fact is that as a result of the change (like it or not, it is here) companies are creating (or lacking to create) effective, transparent and impactful CSR in addition to a digital footprint.
As I share in one of my previous blog posts, it is predicted that next 10-20 years over 40% of Fortune 500 companies on the current list would be replaced or some will be completely gone. WHY? Because not many companies are moving the needle toward an economy that is conducting the business in the way that top high performing talent and leaders would like to conduct business with. Like it or not, a digital footprint will create more choice for consumers, and potential employees, then ever before. Key is to know how your organization is going to stack-up against the leading organizations in your industry.
As an old saying goes “… if I get a penny every time I hear how bad such and such organization is, I would be by now a millionaire" or perhaps a billionair, it may have some merit in quick organizational re-assessment and to get leadership motivated for the correct reasons to embrace CSR. To institute CSR in organizations today may not cost much or at all but rewards can be indeed tremendous year after year.
On the lighter note, I will be soon in Dubai, conducting multiple high impact comprehensive workshops and speaking engagements. Do you want to elevate your ability to perform at a higher level as a leader than you are today? Let's talk: 720-371-3688 or [email protected]. Please feel free to reach out directly to address your and your corporate leadership needs.
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Learn… Lead… Love… Izabela Lundberg (@IzabelaLundberg) is CEO and Founder of Izabela Lundberg International. She is an Executive Consultant, Trainer & Speaker for Fortune 500 and Professional Athletes & Coaches. She is #1 International Best Selling Author & Leading Authority of Leadership Transformation From Fear to Greatness. Drawing on her extensive global business management, diversity, and high-performance impact expertise through her work with people from over 80 countries, Izabela also writes and speaks on topics such us Strategic Leadership & Influence, Legacy Leadership, & #HighPerformance #Impact.
Retired from Dominion Energy. Veteran of US Navy and Military Sealift Command.
9 年How can a corporation that is beholden to Wall Street and greedy investors ever succeeded at CSR ?
Managing Director at The Following Sea
9 年Isabela, what we have in the US today is the triumph of mediocrity. Instead of being held responsible, standards that apply to all walks of life are modified. In an effort to be politically correct, we have achieved uniformity in mediocrity. Exceptionalism is not achieved through mediocrity. It is achieved through modesty and hard work. We cannot empower success by continuing to reward failure. The general in charge of our failed counter-insurgency effort in Syria will be promoted to Lt. General. He will assume larger responsibilities for a mission he failed to perform. This is responsible behavior? This is not a corporate problem. My 13 year in the Marines and 10 year of teaching in my "spare time" taught me that this is a national problem. It is not a matter that concerns only the large corporation. It is a matter that concerns American society. It is mediocrity of thought that leads us to relegate the responsibility for leadership to the large corporation. The responsibility for leadership in a democracy cannot be delegated. It is with each and every one of US.
Managing Director at The Following Sea
9 年What disturbs me most is the myopic view that leadership and CSR are a corporate responsibility. Nonsense! Leadership is a global responsibility.
Inspiring Passion & Success, Advisory Boards, Consulting, CEO, 4X Start-up Founder/Leader, Board Director, Strategy, Innovation, Change Management, Sustainability, Author "Xponential Growth".
9 年CSR to become successful need Employees and Teams to practice actively their corresponding Personal and Team social responsibilities. The What has been understood, the How is more important.
Advisor, Japan Productivity Center
9 年Izabela, thanks for highlighting the importance of corporate social responsibility. I find that too often CSR is still treated as an afterthought once the "real" business gets taken care of; as you note, CSR can drive "real" business performance and results.