Giving Compass' Take:

• This B the Change post identifies three initial steps for any business looking to put Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at the center of its strategy.

• From mission-aligned governance to more transparency, there are lessons here for any organization that needs to set their goals straight.

• Here are some innovative ways to promote CSR, besides donating money.

You’re ready to create more positive impact with your business but wonder where to start to actually make a difference. The community of Certified B Corporations and B Lab, the independent nonprofit that certifies B Corps, has tools you can use to hit the ground running.

Here are three initial steps that can put your business on the right track toward making a positive impact for people and planet.

1. Get buy-in for a diversity and inclusion team. Implementing successful diversity and inclusion programs can be challenging. Even initiating conversations about diversity and inclusion can lead to a spectrum of reactions, from enthusiasm to ambivalence, apprehension or resistance, and everything in between. At the same time, effectively building an inclusive workplace requires the efforts not just of a handful of people at the company but the company as a whole.

2. Start the shift to mission-aligned governance, such as benefit corporation governance. Companies generally are expected to put the interests of shareholders ahead of the interests of other stakeholders, including workers, customers and the community. This expectation, often referred to as “shareholder primacy,” arises from a combination of legal rules and patterns of investor behavior ... Mission-aligned governance, on the other hand, creates legal entities that allow companies to preserve their mission and consider stakeholders in their decision-making.

3. Adopt more transparent practices to increase engagement and accountability. Transparency goes beyond compliance; more companies are openly sharing information about their company with workers and other stakeholders as a means to promote accountability, engagement and trust.

Read the full article about steps to take for a positive impact in business at B the Change.