Corporate Social Responsibility | More than just ticking a box

People Make the Difference has long supported the NELUNE Foundation, a not-for-profit charity that supports cancer patients and their families to fight cancer with dignity. Recently the foundation has committed to supporting men’s health awareness in various, tangible ways and, as September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month, it got us thinking about all the ways we can support great work in the world – and the unexpected benefits that corporate social responsibility can have for your team as well as the charity. 

What is corporate social responsibility? 

The term corporate social responsibility (or CSR), is built upon the idea that organisations – particularly those that are ‘for-profit’ – have a degree of responsibility to the society they profit from. CSR exists in thousands of different forms, with different organisations committing to different ways of giving back. This might be through sustainability initiatives, donating a portion of profits to a charity or donating time to physically support a cause. 

CSR is a concept that is designed to help organisations take responsibility and have accountability for the impact that they have in their own communities and the wider world but, of course, many organisations see it as just another requirement to meet. 

But corporate social responsibility is so much more than a box to tick. 

Choosing a meaningful way of giving back

Team leaders are in the great position of having influence over how their team – and their organisation – decides to give back. Many teams simply follow the lead of the wider organisation, contributing and giving back through a management-decided initiative. 

Other teams choose to go their own way, perhaps supporting a charity or cause that has personal significance to a member of the team, e.g. perhaps someone has just been diagnosed with cancer, and the team decides to participate in the Biggest Morning Tea fundraising event. 

Both approaches are important, with plenty of opportunities for teams to get involved, give back and maybe even benefit from their efforts. 

United in support of a cause

Corporate social responsibility can facilitate opportunities for your team to unite around a common interest and goal – supporting a cause that is important to them. It has the added bonus of not being directly related to the work they do each day, giving them perspective to look beyond the team and see the impact they can have. 

Giving back, together, can allow your team to build connections and relationships as you bring them together. In a world where the flexible workplace can sometimes mean that teams don’t see each other face to face or feel a little disjointed, coming together to work on something personally valuable, building team trust, morale and unity at the same time can be extremely rewarding, ultimately bolstering your team to be even better in the ‘regular’ aspects of their job. 

So, whether it’s volunteering together, taking part in a fun run or a different fundraising initiative, leaders should be looking for opportunities to participate in initiatives that further corporate social responsibility, not just to give back to communities, but to grow their teams in meaningful ways. 

Want to know how to build corporate social responsibility into your team effectively? People Make the Difference can help. To find out more, visit www.pmtd.com.au or call us on 0412 333 415. Try our online leadership training videos – $99 for complete access. Great value if you’re committed to growing your leadership potential.