In the world of HR and Recruitment there are many trade secrets whose mysterious and intricate workings are known only to those in the innermost circle of circles.
One that comes up again and again, however, is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
We wanted to find out more about this CRS business: what is it, what it does, why it sounds like a rather sinister mandate straight from the days of Cold War Russia?
As our s1jobs guru Davey was away at a twerking convention in Inverness for the weekend, we went instead straight to an industry expert, Alan Johnston, who is the Director of Consultancy Embarq Ltd.
Their specialty? None other than sustainability and – yes, you guessed it! – CSR.
So, Alan, can we embark by talking about your role in Embarq?
“Of course. I’m the main point of contact for clients, who are from a range of industries and sectors, including Public, Private and Third Sector organisations.
I’ve been involved in CSR and sustainability for more than 20 years.
The activity for each client can be very different, depending on the businesses requirements.
For example, I can find myself specialising on Community Engagement and Social Impacts, then on carbon reduction and renewable energy, so it’s a very varied role and very much dependent on each organisation’s need and CSR aspirations.
Much of my work can be writing policies or developing guidance documents.
There is a lot of research required in advance of developing a policy or measurement framework, helping me to best understand the individual business and the stakeholders or communities they are trying to reach.”
Do you get out much?
“I’m occasionally asked to represent businesses on, for example, community engagement workshops or meetings with their stakeholders.
I’m also often engaged in assisting clients to submit a tender in response to CSR and Community Benefits requirements or assisting procurers to incorporate Community Benefit clauses into their Invitation to Tender (ITT).
My role with the third sector, working with social enterprises is usually to advise on business planning/growth or helping access funding/grants and contracts.”
Now to the juicy bit: let’s talk CSR.
“Well, CSR has many definitions but the most common is to describe it thus: ‘Corporate Social Responsibility is to ensure companies conduct their business in a way that is ethical. This means taking account of their social, economic and environmental impact, and consideration of human rights.’
CSR is also often viewed as delivering key pillars or objectives: People, Marketplace, Communities, and Environment.
Most corporate organisations view it as a way of protecting their brand values, influencing stakeholders and demonstrating to employees the culture of the organisation.
For many it’s also about philanthropy and being responsible to the communities in which they operate.
In my experience organisations that deliver meaningful objectives, both for the external environment (communities) and internal factors (their people) are more likely to have significant CSR outcomes. CSR is often used by organisations when tendering for work, particularly for public sector contracts.
This is commonly referred to by procurers and commissioners as Community Benefits or Social Value commitments.”
What role does it play in HR work?
“Where businesses have a CSR function it is normally part of an HR department. CSR is usually driven by Senior Executive Teams or HR Managers and cascaded throughout the organisation. Some CSR roles are also placed within the marketing team or strategy department.”
What roles would normally be involved?
“The People aspect of CSR has the most obvious fit with the HR function. Particularly L&D, equality and diversity and recruitment practices.
Human Resource Managers have the tools and the opportunity to leverage employee commitment to and engagement in the organisation’s CSR strategy.
High-performing CSR organisations foster a culture of CSR and fully integrate CSR throughout their operations, rewarding CSR decisions and initiatives.”
Have there been changes to CSR recently that impacted on HR?
“Yes, there is emerging evidence that effectively implemented, CSR can have significant impact in motivating, developing and retaining staff.
HR Leaders are developing and implementing incentive and appraisal systems that reflect CSR/sustainability, as well as hiring personnel that embody these values.”
Are there particular skills needed for working with CSR and is there training?
“There are a number of training courses available. Organisations such as BITC run accredited training courses.
There are a lot of resources on the internet, too, and CSR support organisations that can help your CSR knowledge.
Developing a full understanding of the businesses’ sustainability priorities, combined with academic and professional development is key.”
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