WHY SHOULD YOUR COMPANY WORK ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY?
For some time now, companies have been committed to working on Corporate Social Responsibility, but not all companies take it seriously. For many, it is just another investment of money that does not bring benefits. That is why, in this article, we are going to explain why CSR is so important for your organisation.
When we talk about Corporate Social Responsibility, we refer to a company’s awareness of the environmental, economic and social impacts it generates on the environment, complying with legislation and carrying out voluntary responsible actions, both externally and internally. It is very important that when developing a Corporate Social Responsibility policy, it is integrated into the strategic business plan. We must understand that CSR is not simply carrying out charitable or environmentally friendly actions on a one-off basis, but that it must be a company philosophy that seeks to guarantee sustainability and promote economic growth.
Today, social and environmental problems belong to all of us and, therefore, actions to improve results are also the responsibility of each one of us. Each company must be aware of the importance of the role it plays in society and sustainable development, seeking the concerns and worries of its stakeholders to generate solutions in a sustainable and voluntary manner. Companies must become socially responsible entities and contribute to improvement in order to serve as an example to other companies.
It is true that it is still difficult to identify when a company is carrying out CSR actions. Human and labour rights, the fight against fraud, health protection, the environment and consumer protection are some of the basic dimensions that encompass Corporate Social Responsibility actions.
Pero, ¿Cómo surge la RSC y cómo se ha convertido en una herramienta para cambiar el comportamiento de la sociedad? En 1987, apareció, por primera vez, el término desarrollo sostenible en el Informe Brundtland, publicado por la Comisión Mundial sobre medioambiente y desarrollo sostenible. Brundtland, primera ministra noruega, junto a otros líderes de países miembros de las Naciones Unidas, hicieron este informe en el que expusieron los términos sostenibilidad y desarrollo sostenible. En 1999, surgió el Pacto Mundial de las Naciones Unidas en el Foro Económico Mundial, donde se marcaron los 10 principios de la RSC.
These EU concerns were reflected in the EU Green Paper for the promotion of a European Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility, which guides the actions that the governments of each EU country have to promote in their companies in relation to CSR.
In recent years, CSR has been linked to the financial and non-financial performance of companies. Corporate Social Responsibility affects the development of companies and influences business performance. In other words, the more CSR, the better the business performance and the more CSR, the more attractive these companies are to job seekers. Specifically, CSR has been identified as a significant factor in company performance, mainly in globalised and highly competitive sectors.
CSR actions convey a much friendlier and more authentic image of the company and this does have an indirect return in the form of customer, supplier and even employee loyalty. Employees particularly value this ethical commitment and even more so if it incorporates so-called ‘happiness at work’ policies aimed at improving the atmosphere, working hours and family reconciliation.
