I have been thinking alot lately about CSR - especially after having applied for a job as National CSR officer for a non-profit organisation here in Australia (I didn’t get the job…bugger!). I’ve also been involved in a short lived working party that was examining the whole concept of setting standards that corporates and not for profits couldwork with when establishing partnerships.
Mission Australia and YoTS (Father Chris Riley’s Youth off The Streets) co-sponsored a workshop entitled “How many times can you paint a wall” which was focused on getting not for profits to look at how they engaged with for profit organisations in CSR. Much of the discussion centred around how we present ourselves and our opportunities to ‘corporates’. It was a great workshop – but it hasn’t lead to anything – it hasn’t gone anywhere. For me personally and for the organisation I work for (UnitingCare Ageing) I want to see more not for profits actively engaging with corporate organisations in CSR projects.
But is CSR simply white wash and are we as not for profits being led by the nose by government and corporate bodies in order for them to assuage their guilt over the rape of our environment, our cities and our communities? Are we being used?
On September 7th six companies were honored during the 2006 American Chamber of Commerce Shanghai Corporate Social Responsibility Conference and Awards Ceremony. Here is the story. Coca Cola won their award for building primary schools. Amway won theirs for providing over 100 volunteer teachers as well as doing trash clean up work near Mt Everist (tall job that one!).
“Social problems are economic problems,” said Bill Valentino, General Manager Corporate Communications Greater China for Bayer, during a speech at the ceremony. “It is not just corporate social responsibility but corporate social innovation that drives systematic change. You need to ask how does my business agenda relate to a social need. When we talk about CSR, everybody looks at it as charity, but it’s not just about charity. It’s an opportunity for learning.”
So…what do you think? Should not for profits jump in and gain some benefit from Corporate Social Responsiblity or shuold we remain “pure” and untouched by corporate culture?
