Four important insights for communicating CSR online

1. Choose a suitable place and name on the corporate website

First of all, you have to choose a location on the corporate website where the communication will take place, as well as the name it will assume. It’s gradually becoming standard for CSR communication to have its own section on a corporate website’s main navigation page. This shows that it is a fundamental part of corporate communications. However, some companies, such as Rabobank, consider their CSR activities as something that cannot be detached from the enterprise as a whole. These corporates often accommodate CSR in the navigation section containing information about the company’s identity (in the ‘About us’ section, for example).

CSR communication accommodated in the 'About us' section on the main navigation page of Rabobank’s corporate website

It’s also important to choose a suitable name for the section. Many corporates associated with pollution / environmental issues, such as energy and oil companies, frequently choose a name that focuses on the environment and sustainability. Companies who are less obviously associated with environmental matters often choose a broader description. Following are the headings chosen by a number of well-known companies:

• CSR (Nuon)
• Sustainable business (KPN)
• Sustainability (Wolters Kluwer)
• Responsible Energy (Shell)
• Doing business responsibly (SNS REAAL)
• Environment (IBM)
• Corporate responsibility (GM)

Therefore, ensure that the name you choose dovetails precisely with the meaning your organization attaches to CSR.

Nike has opted for a broad description: Nike responsibility

2. Present your view of CSR and focus on it

In order to justify the CSR communication, it’s important to indicate what the company’s vision is in that respect. Of course, it’s nice as a company to say you conduct business in a responsible way, but how does that manifest itself in actual business operations? Therefore, indicate how Corporate Social Responsibility links up with the nature of the company and its business objectives. KPN, for example, believes that the social role of its services should contribute to society. KPN’s services make it easier for people living in isolation (such as the elderly and children who have fallen ill) to maintain social contact. This dovetails perfectly with their business operations.

KPN's social contribution: to connect people

3. Be concrete in terms of objectives and results

When you present a clear vision with focus, it’s important to state your objectives. Indicate what kind of activities the company is developing to justify its vision. In doing so, ask yourself the following questions:

• What are the objectives for the coming months and years?
• To what extent have these objectives been achieved thus far?
• What kind of future activities will help achieve these objectives?

In stating your objectives, make them as concrete and measurable as possible. This makes it possible to come up with hard evidence for the objectives you have achieved.
Energy company Centrica states its objectives, indicates the initiatives it has taken to realize these objectives and which activities are being planned for the future.

In addition, the company creates measurable objectives. One of these objectives, for example, is to reduce energy consumption in offices in the UK by 5%.

Centrica's measurable CSR objectives

4. Show who your stakeholders are and enter into a dialogue

Finally, it's important to know who a company's stakeholders are and to communicate with them in a targeted way. After all, these are the groups who have a specific opinion about your CSR policy. For example, a potential employee may feel positively about CSR initiatives, which may also positively influence his/her attitude towards the company as a potential employer. The sustainable nature of investments is likely to appeal strongly to a financial analyst.
It's not only important to provide stakeholders with information. It's equally important to establish what their opinions are because it enables you to determine the level of appreciation for your activities. Moreover, you can let stakeholders share their thoughts about how to adapt and improve your CSR activities.

A good example of how this can be achieved online is TNT's 'Planet me'. This is a corporate blog, set up to actively engage in discussion with (initially) employees about the environment and climate change, the main spearhead of TNT's CSR policy. Nowadays it is accessible to all stakeholders.

TNT's 'Planet me'

Conclusion

In order to effectively develop communication about Corporate Social Responsibility, four main factors should be kept in mind:

• Decide how to present this part of your website and choose a suitable name
• Present a vision with a focus that suits the company's business operations
• State your objectives and make them as concrete as possible. This will enable you to present hard evidence for the objectives you achieve
• Enter into dialogue with your stakeholders and determine your CSR policy together with them

And if you would like to write a CSR report, have a look at the Global Reporting Initiative's website. It provides assistance on how to structure a report effectively.

754 views| 0 Comments| | Add to social bookmarking