Social impact has been all over the media lately. I’ve noticed a constant thread running through the stories; the changes occurring in the world of corporate social responsibility.
In a July episode of the podcast, My Fourth Act, Achim Nowak interviewed Diane Primo, the CEO of Purpose Brand Agency.
Ms. Primo said, “You’re seeing that employees are becoming activists. They’re no longer the loyal kind of silent employees. Businesses have to consider them and the public. They must be sure that their values are in alignment. They must engage in completely different ways than they did before.”
She referenced the Black Lives Matter movement and COVID as factors influencing how purpose has transformed the way we do business.
This point was reinforced in a joint project by The Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals (ACCP) and Rocket Social Impact. They talked to 100 CSR executives from 100 companies to report the recent shift in CSR policies.
They compiled the results in this report, The Impact of Pandemic & Racial Justice Movement on CSR.
Some of the top highlights include 86% of companies are reporting they are increasing integration within their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) program, HR, and Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) departments. Fifty-one percent are demanding increased ESG integration.
Short-term priorities have shifted to include hunger issues, the economic needs of employees, and mental health within communities. Overall, 40% of CSR executives said their company’s priorities have shifted. Imperatives include an increased emphasis on tracking results which is integral to Revere Software’s skills-based volunteering platform.
News services nationwide covered The Taproot 2021 U.S. Pro Bono summit. Speakers discussed the same topics: corporations should link programming with DEI principles, and pro bono can contribute to the fight against existing inequalities.
Younger Employees Are Insisting on Social Equality Policies
LinkedIn published an article titled Everything Marketers Should Know About the Fastest-Growing Audience Demographic in November. Author Lisa Sy stated that three in ten Gen Zs display increasing regard for eco-consciousness and social equality. People this age, born 1997-2012, are digitally native, pay attention to the news, and pressure companies to show social commitment. You won’t fool these young people, and they will make up 27% of the workforce by 2025.
According to this article, the brand values of their generation are authenticity, sustainability, and giving. That’s a hopeful sign, I’d say.
The world of business has drastically changed in the last twenty years. I’ve written about the essential requirement of Communicating the Value of Your Skills-Based Volunteering Program.
Companies know Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies are essential for being good global citizens and critical for attracting top-rate workers but often find it difficult to put the needed components into place.
In addition, consumers of all ages now pay attention to businesses’ Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices. Increasingly, they are not spending money on services and products created by companies whose practices they do not support. Corporations need effective programs in order to contribute lasting value.
This is where online platforms offer a solution. For instance, Revere Software provides an easy way for our corporate clients’ nonprofit partners to connect with our clients’ employees in order to attain skills and expertise they otherwise would not have access to. Enabling nonprofit partners and employees to directly connect reduces the workload of HR and CSR departments as they track employee volunteer hours and employee engagement.
I’ll conclude with a statement by Carolyn Berkowitz, President and CEO of ACCP. She was a guest on Common Impact’s Pro Bono Perspectives titled Ushering in a New Era of CSR and referred to AACP and Rocket Impact’s study.
Ms. Berkowitz said, “Eighty-five percent of companies are doing something different regarding inequality. It may be internal activity within HR or DEI, but it is the biggest change I’ve seen in my life. Real change. Fast.”
That’s exciting, and Revere Software is proud to be part of this change in multi-national corporations and small and medium-sized businesses. Contact us today to see how our platform can help you complete your CSR mission while meeting the needs of your business and your employees.