Marketing? Corporate values? There is a great debate around Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies, but what no one doubts are the benefits it brings to companies that decide to incorporate them.

Whether to attract and retain the talent of your organization or to improve your brand image and strengthen the relationship with clients, administrations and the media.

Do you still not know  the power of Corporate Social Responsibility policies ?

In this article you will find its definition, some examples and the steps you must follow to create your CSR plan.

What is Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR

Companies are not isolated entities, but their activity has certain repercussions on the environment in which it is carried out.

The management of this impact is what we know as Corporate Social Responsibility policies.

Designing a CSR plan is establishing a strategy to reduce the negative impact of companies and offering solutions to environmental, labor, business or human rights issues. Your commitment will vary depending on the brand positioning, interests and sensitivity of the public, location and competitor practices.

Which can become a great differentiation tool for companies.

Why don’t all companies have CSR?

The media has revealed cases of corporate mismanagement. This has led consumers to take into account the values ​​and behavior of companies when purchasing, giving rise to responsible consumption.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Studies show that SMEs that have applied CSR policies resist crises better. Therefore, its implementation can be key to achieving the success of an organization.

Examples of companies with corporate social responsibility

If you look closely, there are many companies that have relied on social responsibility policies to build customer loyalty and boost their growth in the market.

The clothing store giant INDITEX, for example, has made a name for itself among the companies with the best corporate governance thanks to its good business management practices and transparency.

Mercadona has based its social responsibility strategy on offering a wide range of  Gluten Free products  (suitable for celiacs) and improving the working conditions of its employees, who enjoy more beneficial salaries and conditions than the rest of the workers in the sector.

Other companies, such as Holaluz and IKEA, have decided to help the environment by selling clean energy and using renewable materials for their furniture.

This strategy must be related to the company’s activity, commit to the long term and apply to both the internal and external dimensions of the organization.

5 steps to create a Corporate Social Responsibility Plan

Creating a CSR Plan consists of the following steps:

• Carry out an internal analysis of the organization that includes the consumer groups that may be most interesting for the company and the importance of each of them.
• Define the strategy and resources necessary to implement the Corporate Social Responsibility plan.
• Establish the code of conduct on which the CSR plan will be based.
• Develop the transversal strategy on the management of the company and the action plan that will shape the corporate social responsibility policies.
• Monitor and evaluate the results obtained.

In any case, establishing a corporate social responsibility policy is a very delicate issue that, if not done correctly, can turn against you.

Conclusions

Corporate Social Responsibility is a strategy to reduce the negative impact of companies on the environment and offer solutions to problems related to the environment, human rights and other aspects. Corporate Social Responsibility can be a differentiation tool for companies and a decisive factor for the success of an organization. Although many small and medium-sized businesses believe that this type of practice is costly, studies show that these companies have better weathered economic difficulties in times of crisis. Therefore, it is important for companies to consider creating a Corporate Social Responsibility plan.

At Cegos we offer quality courses and training so that your company can develop the necessary corporate social responsibility.

Contact us , and we will advise you.