Corporate Social Responsibility

Five ways for a head of CSR to break in a new CEO

Prepared by:
Finance-D
Group-8
ATISH JAIN (10SBCM0135)
GUNJAN AGGARWAL (10SBCM0267)
JUTHIKA BORA (10SBCM0391)
KAUSTUBH UDGAONKAR (10SBCM0271)
P.V.SARAN KUMAR (10SBCM0526)


ntroduction
Marc Bolland, the new chieI executive oI leading UK sustainability champion Marks & Spencer,
launched his new strategy today. In so doing, he reversed certain things that had been started by
his predecessor, Stuart Rose. Certain sub-brands. Positioning in regard to Ioreign expansion.
One thing he didn't change, he mentioned pretty much in passing, was the company's
commitment to Plan A - its sustainability program me.
Every new CEO comes into the job with the intention to be a new broom, making their mark
early as someone that can lead the business to greater heights. How does a head oI sustainability
or CSR ensure that the company's commitment to social responsibility is a beneIiciary, not a
casualty, oI such a clean sweep.
OI course, a lot depends on the character and conviction oI the person concerned. II they come in
believing that CSR is a communist plot to Iorce businesses to sell their shareholders short - well,
at best you're reorientating your approach to play the long game. At worst, time to dust oII the
resume. Conversely, iI you suddenly Iind you've acquired a committed and convinced champion,
the Iollowing action points become easier. A LOT easier.









There are Iive ways Ior a head oI CSR to break in a new CEO.
1. It begins beIore the new guy arrives.
Very rarely is a new CEO going to slam on all the brakes and believe that the way Iorward is to
completely reinvent the organization. Even when a company's systems are seriously broken, the
CEO is going to be looking out Ior what works that they can build upon. Make sure that one oI
the things they see is that commitment to sustainability.
2. Know your leader - Iind the areas oI common cause.
New leaders don't emerge as a blank slate onto which anything could be written. They have a
history - a record oI achievement (and a certain amount oI political game-playing) that ultimately
took them to the top slot. As soon as you know who the new boss is going to be, you need to Iind
out a little bit about their track record.
3. IdentiIy the quick wins that can pay beneIits INSIDE the business.
Now the new CEO has arrived. They will have certain top priorities when they Iirst come
through the door. They will begin determined to listen and learn, to work out who's an ally,
what's broke, and what's working well. They will also be wanting to build their team around
them, and to show that they can hit the ground running and to have made a real impact within
their Iirst 100 days.
4. Understand that it's not just about logic and strategy.
II business decisions were primarily logical and Iocused on which strategy made best sense Ior a
particular company in a certain market - well, no new CEO would change a thing. Because the
strategy that had been set would be the right one. But oI course new CEOs change strategy pretty
universally. It is about choice and preIerence, and - let's be honest - a host oI other things that are
not necessarily rational in a purely business sense.



5. Get the customers on side in selling to the CEO
Ideally, when you know that a change is approaching - but certainly very soon aIter it has taken
place - get some smart customer research that looks at attitudes relating to the most pertinent
issues to your products and brand. II you can show that customers expect certain standards Irom
you - that they believe you are socially responsible and that makes them more loyal or, in the
unIortunate case that's not what they say, why they Ieel disloyal - then you have a powerIul tool.