Corporate social responsibility can be one of the ways that help your organization build loyal customers and employees.
Various organizations in different industries take great pleasure in giving back to the community. This, they do through their Corporate Social Responsibility. CSR is loosely defined as efforts taken by an organization to better the lives of the society in whatever capacity. This can be done through donation of basic needs to Children’s Homes, schools etc., giving out of scholarships, community projects like drilling of boreholes, conservation of natural resources among others. Different organizations have different CSR activities based on their mission and vision. CSR provides a way for organizations to benefit themselves while doing the same for the society.
What then makes CSR an important aspect of any organization?
1. Employee engagement
Corporate social responsibility gives the employees of an organization an opportunity to contribute in giving back to the society, country or environment. Being able to do something that is just not for yourself but helps put a smile on someone else’s face gives us human beings great satisfaction. Giving back for a good cause allows your employees to feel proud and be content at work. They feel great associating with their brand for the efforts put in educating children from a poor village, helping eradicate jiggers or running to help reduce the number of maternal deaths. Knowing that your organization is involved in a good cause for the benefit of the society and helps make the world a better place helps build your employer brand.
2. Brand building
Giving back to your clients, stakeholders, partners or society helps make your brand popular. Positive word of mouth from those who benefit from your organizations CSR can help grow and make your brand successful. Despite the publicity, corporate social responsibility should not be done to gain publicity but because an organization believes in the cause they undertake. Helping bring positive change to the society will definitely attract the media and give you a cutting edge over your competitors.
3. Loyalty to the organization
There is nothing as important as having loyal customers and employees – those ones willing to go the extra mile to see the organization shine. Your corporate social responsibility can be one of the ways that helps your organization build loyal customers and employees. By giving back to the community – whether through electrifying an entire village or donating sanitary pads to a remote girl’s school –shows that you have the interests of the society at heart and is bound to make your employees feel more fulfilled and your customers pleased with your efforts. People want to be associated with brands that take time to do something – no matter how small – for the country, community or environment. This will in the end help build a positive image for your brand. With loyal clients who are happy about your efforts, you can be sure of increased revenue generation.
4. Societal development
Corporate social responsibility helps develop the society. By building schools, giving out scholarships, drilling boreholes in dry villages or providing sustainable innovations for food development in dry areas can go a long way in making the country achieve their sustainable development goals.
We live in a society where organizations are too money driven and year in year out are only focused in increased revenue and market share. The interest of most organization lies on being better than their competitors that they actually forget there is a world around them. If you are part of such an organization, we would implore you to take time out and do something for your society. Help build that school for kids schooling under a tree or drill that borehole to enable that 10-year old not to cover a distance of 10 kilometers or more in search of water.
