Corporate Social Responsibility Activities Can Be Simple

Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR activities are a big part of how companies extend their brand and get credit for the good deeds of its employees. Something I’ve learned over the years of doing CSR work is that it does not have to be complicated or overly scripted and organized to make a Public Relations (PR) splash. For example, groups of employees can self-organize their teams to give back to charities or non-profits that are close to their hearts by doing simple things like ice cream socials, dine arounds (where a percentage of sales go to a charity) or even walks that benefit and fund research to find cures for diseases that have afflicted the employees or their family members. Capturing the impact of volunteer hours and donated dollars is what PR teams should focus on. When you compile these types of activities into an annual CSR report that can be shared with stakeholders such as the media, investors and customers, you start to see the ripple effect of a few individuals taking action. I’ve found that working on CSR is a rewarding part of being a communications professional, especially as you see the real impact on the people behind the causes.