Corporate Social Responsibility or CSR, aims to pioneer social change through an effective evaluation and implementation of projects aligned with the business’ operations and strategies. Beyond this, benevolent CSR programs are seen as beaming lights of hope as its objective is to help others with marginalized advocacies or those in vulnerable communities where social services are weak. It serves as an avenue where companies engage with their clients or even their personnel on a personal level, outside a corporate setting. In a developing country such as the Philippines, there is an incessant call to give aid to those who need it the most. Given the state of the country where there is a lack of support for social services, growing inflation rate for basic necessities, and underdevelopment, businesses must not be oblivious to the plight of our society. With the resources accumulated by companies, charitable CSR projects make a great impact on communities, giving them an opportunity to better themselves.
The first step to effective CSR is to analyze and reflect if the company is conscious of social realities. Corporate Social Responsibility does not require only external intervention. It can also be done in a company’s internal management. Ensuring the wellness of one’s labor force and adhering to fair and just labor practices also answer the call of social responsibility. Moreover, it is crucial that a company assesses the social impact of its business operations, whether it is on the environment or on society. When it comes to external intervention, it is important to take into account where the company’s competencies and abilities meet society’s needs to ensure maximum impact. This will be the ultimate starting point of all CSR endeavors as they strengthen public trust through intervention in vulnerable, underprivileged communities.
Given the ever-changing context of society, it is imperative that we craft a deeper understanding of CSR. Corporate Social Responsibility is usually thought of as outside intervention by a company; as philanthropic, but there is an argument to be made that CSR should become more developmental than philanthropic. Increasingly complex social issues have brought about the need to move past donation and philanthropy, and into CSR becoming an ethos of a business itself. This means that in line with the terms “social responsibility” companies should make sure that all their endeavors are socially responsible and that all their practices and work environment also promote social justice. When it comes to actual Corporate Social Responsibility projects, new CSR implementers should take the vast complexity of social issues into account and create dynamic, long lasting and sustainable solutions for the communities and sectors they engage.
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