CSR & Shared Value Partnerships for the SDGs

Public Private Partnerships: CSR & Shared Value Partnerships for the SDGs

Sustainability, Social Responsibility and Shared Value are today’s most important issues for shareholders according to Harvard Business Review (July 2016).

The world has changed. Society expects business to create social value along with shareholder value and is prepared to punish those that don’t.

This expectation represents a risk and often an opportunity. Many firms are embracing them and turning them into a strategic advantage. Others are ignoring them at their peril and most will end up paying a price for doing so.

Public and private sector organizations of all types are discovering that SDG focused Public Private Partnerships can help meet society’s growing expectations AND produce significant organizational value as well.

Businesses, NGOs, governments and other private and public organizations are finding that the SDG framework can facilitate synergy and alignment between non-conventional partners, creating an orientation that serves the partner’s and society’s interest. A Win-Win-Win success

SDG partnerships can help business with social license, product marketing, employee retention and recruitment, regulatory friction, brand development and a host of other areas.

Similarly, SDG partnerships can support mission issues for NGOs and other non-business organizations. The partnerships can bring strategic capacity, financial and human resources, economies of scale, operational expertise, etc.

These value impacts are being discovered by businesses, NGOs and other organizations worldwide.

There is often so much room to add creativity and foster fun, alignment and impact. 

Here are a few examples – there are many, many more.

Goats, SDGs and Data Solutions 

Formation Data Solutions had a limited marketing budget so teamed with Oxfam on a See a Demo, Get a Goat promotion. Every customer that saw a demo of Formation’s service had a goat donated in their name to an impoverished African Family. 

It drove demos, sales and evolved into a corporate mission! And benefited families and communities and Oxfam. How Win, Win, Win is that!

SAB Millar: Integrating the SDGs

SAB Millar has gone a step beyond SDG partnerships and systematically aligns and reports on its core business values and corporate mission to the SDGs. 

This helps the business to more efficiently align shareholder and societal value across its operations and facilitates developing partnerships with impact.

Support the SDGs & Slash Recruiting, Retention and HR Costs

Cone Communications study found that 93% of employees want to work for a company that is socially and environmentally responsible with 70% saying they would be more loyal to the company. A strong majority of Millennials and Gen Xers put social and environmental responsibility as a core expectation

“When you implement CSR into your company’s core of operation, you’ll have happier and more excited employees, even at the management level. This will ultimately lead to greater productivity and talent retention, not to mention actively helping make the world a better place.”

With these (seemingly) obvious advantages you would expect to see an explosion of mutually beneficial, productive partnerships. We are seeing some, but it is really only scratching the surface.

Effective public-private development partnerships can drive organizational success. Yet many fail to start or fail to survive?

Natural Partnerships – Unnatural Partners. 

Business, NGOs and development agencies have natural partnership opportunities but organizational history, including historical mistrust between many businesses and NGOs and the often conflicting perspectives of each organization’s internal and external stakeholders can make these partnerships hard to realize.

The SDGs provide a framework that can facilitate effective public private partnerships for development, but much work needs to be done to help organizations to embrace the opportunities and develop durable partnerships that align societal and shareholder value.

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If you are truly interested in development partnerships that align shareholder value and social value we can help.

The CSR Training Institute’s core mission is helping public and private sector organizations to be more efficient and effective at creating alignment between shareholder and societal value.

We believe that public private partnerships based on the SDG framework are an opportunity that must be embraced. We have developed a program to help organizations and leaders from all sectors to develop and implement public private SDG partnerships.

The first offering of the program is Oct 10-12, 2016 in Accra, Ghana. More information>>>

Click here for program website

Seven Snippets on CSR and Shared Value Management

Seven snippets on CSR and shared value management and governance inside organizations.

These are clipped from some of my lectures and Executive events delivered recently in Asia, Africa and North America.

Feel free to share and apply if you find them useful.

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If you want to stay up to date as more of these are published I suggested following the CSR Training Institute on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/company/csr-training-institute

Or connecting with me directly on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/waynejdunn 

You can always sign up for our periodic newsletter here

What makes a CSR Strategy Strong?

I recently did a short interview on What makes a CSR Strategy strong and thought the transcript below might be interesting.   It has a few thoughts and comments along with links to other articles and posts that I have authored.

CSR is all about value.  Value for shareholders and society.  The closer a CSR Strategy sticks to that principle the stronger the strategy is.  And, the more value it produces for both

1. What makes a CSR strategy strong?

Alignment of interests.  Sharing of value created and responsibility for creating it. 

The real key to a successful strategy is that it drives a process that will consistently and systematically identify, nurture and develop those areas where shareholder and stakeholder interests can align.  It must also do it in a way that doesn’t put all the responsibility on the company.  If there is to be shared value there must be shared responsibility for it to be sustainable

For more on this see:

• http://www.slideshare.net/waynedunn/csr-in-eight-self-serving-steps
• http://www.slideshare.net/waynedunn/smarter-csr-budgets-connecting-value-to-budget-in-8-steps
• and others at https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/26188639

1. What do most companies consider business-wise and customer-wise when creating a CSR strategy?

I’m hesitant to comment on what most consider.  I’d rather comment on what I think they should consider.

Unfortunately, companies often take a paternalistic approach and execute CSR in a way that suggests it is about giving and transferring value from the company to other stakeholders rather than finding the spaces where collective self-interest can create aligned interests and giving shareholders and stakeholders direct and personal motivation

CSR = creating, capturing & sharing value in the space where business meets society. Here is a link to a blog post that expands on this a bithttp://bit.ly/ZGpHJN  

1. What are main challenges to creating a strong CSR strategy?

• Stakeholder attitudes and beliefs that CSR is something that should be done to and for them, rather than something they have responsibility to help create and do
• Company attitudes and beliefs that CSR is something they do to and for stakeholders, rather than a way to create value for shareholders and stakeholders
• Altruistic angel approach – not acknowledging self-interest – seehttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20141104111540-26188639-don-t-be-an-altruistic-angel-be-upfront-about-what-s-in-it-for-you
• Attitudes of the key players, inside the company and in the stakeholder constituency
• Not getting internal stakeholders onboard. Seehttps://www.linkedin.com/pulse/article/20140930095149-26188639-seven-proven-ways-to-get-colleagues-on-board-with-sustainability-and-corporate-responsibility

Thoughts on CSR and Value – a curious perspective

We need more strategic, value-creating focus and less focus on defensive, risk-mitigating compliance

Companies the world over are recognizing that there are growing societal expectations on the social value added aspects of business of all types.

Firms everywhere are adapting and evolving, searching for ways to meet societal expectations and meet shareholder expectations.  Some are finding value-creating synergies and ways to create more value for society and for shareholders at the same time.

Others end up in more of a zero-sum, value transfer type of approach (see the CSR Value Continuum for more on value-transfer/value-creation).

At the same time there is a rapidly growing and evolving set of global standards, reporting mechanisms and general compliance frameworks.

Many companies, far too many in my opinion, are paying inordinate amounts of attention to the compliance aspect of CSR and far too little to the value-creation potential that can come with creatively finding synergy and value-alignment.

This not only limits the value that can be created for society AND shareholders, but also serves to position CSR in a ghettoized corner, far removed from core value-creation functions and prone to be first in line when budget crunch happens (see CSR in Budget Crunch Times)

I just received an email from a friend who has developed a technology/system that has the potential to be transformative in terms of rural child education in remote and impoverished areas.

They reached out to the CSR Managers/Leaders of 500 companies working in this area to suggest that there could be some synergy with the social license/social value.

Not one responded!  Follow-up phone calls suggested that the many (they said most) saw CSR as a defence mechanism and that strategic, creative, value-creation types of approaches are last resorts, to be deployed in times of crisis.

Strategic, creative, value-creation types of approaches that seek to find and develop alignment between societal and shareholder interests, and involve other stakeholders and partners, have been proven to be doable, affordable and less difficult than most believe.

Yet so many still default to defensive, compliance-focused, value-transferring (value-draining) sorts of approaches.

If interested in more along these themes you can find a number of articles in the CSR Knowledge Centre. They are all free to read, download, print and share.

(these next sentences are going to seem like a commercial so feel free to stop reading here if you want)

We have developed training programs and consulting services that help companies and individuals to be more systematic and more successful at aligning societal and shareholder interest.

Upcoming programs include:

Advanced Masterclass in CSR Strategy & Management   Nov 1-6, Accra, Ghana

Register here

CSR Bootcamp for Executives & Leaders (2 days)   Oct 29-30, Accra, Ghana

Register here

Companies interested in consulting support and/or a combination of consulting and training or customized training can contact us for more information

Who? Me? Responsible for CSR?

Shared Value requires Shared Responsibility:  Whose Responsibility is Corporate Social Responsibility?

Watching some of the discussion on corporate social responsibility it sometimes seems like governments, communities, NGOs and everyone else expects to sit back and have somebody (aka business) deliver CSR to them on a silver platter.

WRONG!!

Corporate Social Responsibility is not something a company does to or for communities, governments or others. 

To be successful and sustainable it takes a shared and collective responsibility with all stakeholders.  How could it be any other way?

Yet, far too often we see major stakeholders, governments, communities, NGOs and others, placing all the responsibility on companies, almost as if they expected them to play the role of Government (or Santa Claus). 

Sometimes too, we see companies sitting back and trying to leave the responsibility to other stakeholders, including often other companies or industries.

Neither approach will work very well.

All partners are in the same boat.

If the boat floats all will benefit.  If it sinks everyone gets wet.

Those communities and organizations that are pro-active in organizing and planning CSR activities and sharing in the responsibility with companies, will find that they simply get more value at the end of the day.  And, they will gain more capacity as well, and more ownership over their destiny.

Those companies that take the lead AND have projects where ALL stakeholders take appropriate responsibility will find that more value is created for stakeholders and shareholders.

If CSR is about aligning interests so that more benefits can flow to more stakeholders (including shareholders) how does it make sense that all responsibility should be on the company or other partner to organize and do.

Surely Shared Responsibility is where everyone should be trying to get to.

Let’s assume that through a collaborative consultation process a mining company and local community identified that improvements in education and health were priorities.

• What is the role and responsibility of the community and local organizations?What is the role and responsibility of local government?
• What is the role and responsibility of the Sector Ministries (Education & Health)?
• What is the role and responsibility of the company?
• What is the role and responsibility of NGOs and other development actors with an interest in education and healthcare?

Think about what the roles and responsibilities should be.  Then think about how the project would normally play out.

This way works:  In successful examples the various stakeholders will all play a proactive part in the overall project, exhibiting leadership, collaboration and initiative as required. 

The project is truly made up of partners, working together and through their collaboration and collective responsibility helping to achieve results that none of them could achieve on their own.

This way, not so much:  In other cases one partner (often business, but not always) is looked at to lead and take the bulk of the responsibility.  Other stakeholders sit back and expect benefits to come to them.  

Regardless of which partner, or partners are left with the bulk of the responsibility, the project won’t succeed nearly as well as if there was a collective sharing of responsibility.

Do your CSR projects sometimes end up looking like this?

Ironically, in projects where the bulk of the responsibility is left to one or two partners, they are the ones that get blamed if things don’t work perfectly. 

Is it any wonder that some get frustrated and, if they keep going, end up frustrated and cynical.

So, Whose Responsibility is Corporate Social Responsibility?

Look at any CSR projects that you are involved in. Is there a collective responsibility?

If not, why not?

And, what will you do to change that and facilitate collective responsibility.

Blaming the partners who have been carrying the responsibility probably isn’t the most productive response.  Training and encouraging all partners to accept a fair share of responsibility is a far better way to go.

 

Sharing responsibility across partners and stakeholders can drive project success and make the work more fun

 

 CSR can be an effective mechanism for creating value for society and shareholders.  But, it doesn’t work well for anyone if responsibility and ‘ownership’ is not shared amongst all stakeholders.

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To read other CSR Articles and Thoughtpieces by Wayne Dunn click here>>>

Tweets, posts and thoughts from the past weeks

 A collection of Tweets and Posts from the past weeks.  Some interesting (I hope!).  Some not so much.  Excuse the formatting.  Blogger doesn't seem to like cut and paste.

Global perspectives on CSR in mining. Slides from keynote to BC Mining Forum 2015 http://bit.ly/1GrzAKT

Mining schools hi-tech on social value creation! Mining industry’s painful lessons and the progress they’ve made learning them have lots to offer to hi tech as society’s expectations evolve  http://linkd.in/1D0Lpdm

Drink beer to support climate change!  Perfect plan for St. Patrick’s Day.

24 breweries sign climate change declaration. http://bit.ly/1MoAg5K @triplepundit @leonkaye

Acknowledge progress and push for more  McDonald’s To Source Antibiotic-Free Chicken in USA http://bit.ly/1G6aFfP @gmcheeseman @TriplePundit

Many stakeholders but no winners Great article on Artisanal Mining by Paul Klein in Triple Pundit http://bit.ly/1Mb3WoP 

Local Content Success.  now available in #CSR Knowledge Centre http://bit.ly/LocalCSR #PDAC2015

Dealing with growing social demands in mining  World Bank Panel @PDAC  http://bit.ly/1C3VfKW #PDAC2015

Walmart’s sustainability train is barreling down the track!  http://bit.ly/1AdvBN3  Jen Boynton  @triple Pundit  Rob Caplan  @robbyk

Stakeholder Engagement Series 

Many of you have asked that I pull together some of my recent publications that deal with stakeholder engagement into a set.  Haven’t quite done that but below you have a list of articles and links to the LinkedIn Posts.

• Eleven strategies for maximizing value from CSR:  http://linkd.in/1tHnpZr
• CSR in Budget Crunch Times: 12 strategies for success:  http://linkd.in/1zaNE92
• Multi-sector CSR Partnerships: Natural Partnerships – Unnatural Partners:  http://linkd.in/11fUNsB
• From Pariah to Exemplar: Applying the six best practices :  http://bit.ly/CSRAnalysis
• Engaging Internal Stakeholders: Seven proven strategies :  http://linkd.in/1z7vQN7
• CSR Communications: Eleven mistakes to avoid:  http://linkd.in/1yAfJHV
• Stakeholder Engagement: Six best practices:  http://linkd.in/1CR5yCN
• Creating a CSR Program: in eight self-serving steps:  http://linkd.in/12viCNs
• Stakeholder Engagement: Five common mistakes:  http://linkd.in/1yW8usQ
• Smarter CSR Budgets: Eight steps to connect budget to value:  http://linkd.in/1wa8W8L
• 28 Expert tips on stakeholder engagement:  LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/1vpVLtx
• Don’t be an Altruistic Angel: Be transparent about what’s in it for you:  http://linkd.in/1yAdog0
• 13 mistakes that prevent and destroy multi-sector partnerships:  http://linkd.in/1y830NH  

If missing Aboriginal women is a domestic violence issue is ISIS recruiting an adolescent issue? @M_A_W_inCanada

Stakeholder engagement series. 

List of #CSR Thoughtpieces on Stakeholder Engagement from the CSR Knowledge Centre http://bit.ly/1EwKMaK  http://bit.ly/CSRknowledge

Is CSR Dead?  Dying, hibernating, irrelevant, or working just fine? http://bit.ly/CSR-Dead  @triplepundit @marcstoiber

CSR Communications

CSR Communications seems to be a hot topic right now so I thought I’d share links to some of our recent related publications.  If interested feel free to read, download and share. 

 
·       Internal CSR Communications Suck:  http://bit.ly/1Az4TSD 
·       7 strategies for engaging internal stakeholders:   http://bit.ly/1BOFGWF
·       11 mistakes to avoid in CSR Communications:  http://bit.ly/1qQMM9t
·       Eleven strategies for maximizing value from CSR:  http://bit.ly/17uzlDG  

CSR Communications seems hot. Here are 3 short publications. Good, bad & ugly  http://bit.ly/1Az4TSD  http://bit.ly/1GiJHlJ http://bit.ly/1zAvyxV

Internal CSR Communications Suck!  We need to get better at creating internal alignment.  CSR Thoughtpiece posted to Slideshare http://slidesha.re/1B0kga4

Wow Safeway! Sustainable transparent seafood. Trumping Whole Foods.  Great work   http://bit.ly/1GeDaIU @triplepundit @JenBoynton

Pay it forward Pizza! Great model. Align business, customer, social and community and make $ @mwartman1 http://bit.ly/1DE3fCS

We are really bad @ internal CSR Communications. Should align from planet to shareholder to people in company   http://linkd.in/1Edi3HM

Good CSR communications aligns the dots from planet to shareholder to people in company. @RepublicofEvry1 good example

CSR Partnerships. Theory and Practice.  Lecture & Role playing scenario.  Delivered in Nairobi Kenya, Feb 2015   http://slidesha.re/1CI5qA2

Internal CSR Communications Suck! And us CSR Pros are to blame  http://bit.ly/1Dr47e6

Sustainable Brands Seeks Entrepreneurs for Startup Business Competition http://bit.ly/1CHXst4  #CSR

Consumers want to see greater #CSR in the processed #food sector says @globescan consumer report @Foodanddrinkfed

4 strategies for local content success.  Local content can be the best ROI of any CSR investment.  Posted on Slideshare http://slidesha.re/1vVQUb4

Until CSR Pros speak ‘What’s in it for them’ to Finance, Ops & Engineering, CSR is a sandbox and toys in the corner of the business!

 The Rise of Sustainable Fibers in the Fashion Industry

Interesting and insightful. By Leon Kaye @ Triple Pundit  http://bit.ly/1DClOG6

Industry, Community & Engagement: Who is responsible? Lecture & Role playing scenario.  Delivered in Nairobi Kenya, Feb 2015   http://slidesha.re/17ndFII

4 strategies for local content success.  Local content can be the best ROI of any CSR investment.  New blog post http://bit.ly/1CwgBeQ

8 million tonnes of plastic dumped into oceans each year! Remember, we don’t got another planet. http://bit.ly/1vHsFNr

Industry, community & engagement. Strong, respectful & insightful dialogue on extractives and communities in Kenya. Credit @CanHCKenya @ihrb @KimothoWangui

Big business advocating stronger environmental regulations.  Can Govt keep up?

Interesting discussion in the Guardian.  http://bit.ly/1FsPepy Guardian article by @matt_gitsham

Communication is key whether you’re selling soda or social change.  Effective and appropriate communications can add societal and shareholder value to Corporate Social Responsibility efforts.. http://bit.ly/1DYPyuC   Interesting series in the Stanford Social Innovation Review   Also see CSR Communications: 11 mistakes to avoid  http://bit.ly/1zAvyxV

Plastic Bank: Plastic waste to $currency!  Brilliant!

Alignment of social, community, environmental and shareholder interests.

http://bit.ly/16zIfPa @DavidKatzEO  @jillettinger

Bridgestone's Sustainability Hub: A Dialogue on Solving Survey Fatigue (for itself and others) http://bit.ly/1KweOwx Great work @bridgestone