Guide to Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility & Green PR ■ Vol.
Developing CSR Strategies that Command
C-Suite Buy-In and Long-term Value
by John Friedman
C
orporate communications professionals usually
play a key role in the roll out of corporate change
initiatives including mergers and acquisitions,
restructurings, new visions and strategic
imperatives and the like. It is not surprising,
therefore, that they are key players in the roll out
of sustainability programs. However, there are
several ways in which professional communicators
can bring their skills and internal and external
networks to the process of developing as well as
implementing CSR efforts.
Following are five ‘keys’ that are necessary to
unlock the full potential of a sustainability/CSR
program that is integrated into the business model:
 Integration of the program within the
overall strategy. Contrary to popular criticism
of companies, most organizations do not only
manage their operations on a quarterly or
yearly basis. Successful companies adhere to
long-term strategy maps that divide into four
or five categories such as financial,
operational, sales and culture imperatives.
Within each of these categories, imperatives
are defined and assigned to operating units. In
order to be an integral part of the company
strategy, the corporate social responsibility
program must be integrated into the
imperatives.
Professional communicators who have played
a key role in defining the language, presentation
and the communications around the vision are well
positioned and qualified to play a key role. The
emphasis here is on appropriateness and the need
to overcome the inclination to overpromise or
justify the CSR program as the ‘magic bullet’ that
addresses every strategy.
 Compatibility with the day-to-day reality.
At the same time, many employees face daily
realities, such as customer expectations, that
sometimes appear to conflict with corporate
directives. Failing to address and respond to
these real or perceived incompatibilities is a
www.prnewsonline.com
key reason why so many corporate initiatives
fail. Communicators are in a key position to
use their skills, networks and established
credibility at all levels within the company to
assist in the development of the CSR program
itself, as well as designing and implementing a
successful communications strategy that
clearly and compellingly communicates how
the new program can and will work to internal
audiences. The larger and more decentralized
the company, the harder it may be develop a
turnkey solution that works in all operating
settings.
A truly integrated CSR/green program
requires the individual buy-in and
empowerment of everyone in the company
as well as changes in processes and
procedures.
 Empowering and engaging employees at all
levels in the organization. As with any
culture defining effort, a truly integrated
CSR/green program requires the individual
buy-in and empowerment of everyone in the
company as well as changes in processes and
procedures; it cannot rely on the work of a
central 'green team' to long-term carry the ball
for the organization. Everyone has to
participate if it is to become part of the
corporate culture. Otherwise employees may,
intentionally or unwittingly compromise the
effort.
Corporate communicators are in a position to
play a key role in identifying and addressing those
concerns that are real and offering ways to
overcome those that are based on resistance to
change. Several years ago I watched in dismay as
one company replaced several incompatible
accounting systems with a single solution. In order
to overcome initial resistance, management
12
determined that rather than explain the benefits and
need to employees, they would instead customize
the program so that those responsible for keying in Progressive companies have recognized the true
data would not have to learn a new input screen. power of the stakeholder engagement and have
The result was a project that was over budget, took made the transition, revising their strategy for
far longer to be implemented.
traditional communications tools (including
 Measureable, credible results. Whether
meetings, presentations, even media interviews and
through independent third party certifications,
awards, or reporting using trusted criteria; the
public is skeptical of unsubstantiated
environmental claims, as are employees. In
some cases it is easy to point to environmental
impacts – wildlife habitats set aside are visible
examples within a community that a company
and its employees can see for themselves. But
in some cases it is harder because you are
quantifying what did not happen – energy
saved, trees that were not cut down, water that
was not used.
 Engage stakeholders throughout the process.
Engaging people rather than speaking to them
is a fundamental change in how successful
companies must communicate with both
internal and external audiences.
Communicators must stand as staunch
advocates for using new technologies and
taking advantage of rather than fearing the
universal and free-flowing nature of the
Internet and the various social media. The
world of communications has changed, with
the rise of social media and citizen journalists
who, despite the fact that they may or may not
adhere to the same standards and practices
(such as fact-checking) as professional
journalists, have an increasing prevalence and
influence. Companies that wish to build,
maintain or defend their reputations and brand
equity have no choice but to join the dialogue,
bringing authenticity and transparency to the
conversation.

One of the key differences between

sustainability efforts today and the
environmental efforts of the past is the
emphasis on net (or multiple) gains.

13 www.prnewsonline.com
 Guide to Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility & Green PR ■ Vol. 3
Getting on the CSR Bandwagon:
Strive for Real Integration
 Communicators are in a key position to use their
skills, networks and established credibility at all
levels within the company to assist in the
development of the CSR program.
 At the same time, it is important to recognize that
many of the goals traditionally assigned to corporate
communicators – including culture change,
stakeholder engagement and external relations –
can be accomplished by enhancing sustainability
and corporate responsibility management across a
company.
 In order to be an integral part of the company
strategy, the CSR program must be integrated as
appropriate into the strategic imperatives identified
to achieve the long term vision as well as
compatible with the conditions and circumstances
that employees face in day-to-day operations.
 A truly integrated CSR/green program requires the
individual buy-in and empowerment of everyone in
the company as well as changes in processes and
procedures. Communication is the key to both
sharing ideas and understanding and overcoming
resistance to changes. Failure to communicate and
listen can result in passive (and sometime active)
sabotage to your program.
 In order to effectively engage stakeholders in
today’s high-speed information world, corporate
communications professionals must modify their
strategies to effectively foster, encourage and
facilitate dialogue.
the Internet) not as vehicles to provide information,
but as a forums for dialogue, seeing each as an
unparalleled opportunity to tap into, and respond
when appropriate, to what is being said about their
enterprise.
www.prnewsonline.com
To meet these challenges Corporate
communications professionals can use their same
tactical skills but must modify their strategies
refining not only the content but also the structure
of all manner of communications vehicles
including Web sites, annual reports, executive
speeches and presentations. They must shift their
overall strategy to effectively foster, encourage and
facilitate dialogue.
Today’s CSR Versus Your Mother’s CSR
One of the key differences between sustainability
efforts today and the environmental efforts of the
past is that emphasis on net (or multiple) gains.
The value of leveraging the power of capitalism
and business to produce environmental gains can
sometimes be a hard message to communicate to
people who adamantly and passionately believe
that any program that is presented as
environmental is somehow sullied if it has any
other results; particularly economic benefits. For
these people, even initiatives to reduce the use of
energy and natural resources (such as raw
materials and water) are therefore not “real”
environmental initiatives. As much as we might
disagree, these voices will find a forum to be heard
and it is far better to serve as the host of the
dialogue and know what is being said rather than
pretend it is not happening. By allowing
professional communicators to contribute their
skills to each of the five elements outline here, a
CSR program is almost assured of a successful
implementation. Failure to do so will result in a
program that will have limited effectiveness.
PRN
John Friedman is senior director of PR for
Sodexo, Inc. and has more than 20 years'
experience in internal and external
communications and a decade in corporate
responsibility and sustainability. He is also a co-
founder and serves as chair of the board of
directors for the Sustainable Business Network of
Washington. JohnF@sbnow.org | 703.405.0200
14
Reproduced from:
PR News’ Guide to Best Practices in Corporate Social Responsibility & Green PR Vol. 3

15 www.prnewsonline.com