Giving Compass' Take:
- Kevin Xu argues that corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts should shift during the COOVID-19 pandemic, but they should not abandon other issue areas.
- How can you engage in partnerships to advance CSR during and beyond the pandemic?
- Learn about resources to help drive progress in CSR during the pandemic.
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Covid-19 has turned many business leaders’ standard operating procedure upside down. For those leaders practicing corporate social responsibility (CSR), there’s been a struggle to balance pandemic-related initiatives with the other causes that their business aims to serve.
Striking that balance is a tenuous undertaking. My company has participated in CSR initiatives around the world, and it’s not unusual for resources to be reallocated to compensate for extenuating circumstances. While it’s natural to adapt your vision and mission for CSR initiatives during the pandemic, don’t let your original goals get tabled until after the pandemic. Find a way to tend to both.
Balancing A Pandemic And Other Social Causes
It’s not easy to maintain your efforts for causes that you typically support on top of shifting your focus to pandemic-related efforts. Fortunately, some strategies can help you create a healthy balance and impact all the areas you want to support.
1. Reframe your CSR parameters.
Take a look at the function and implementation of your CSR efforts. How you’ve always made progress toward your goals will likely be hindered by one thing or another, so you’ll want to revisit your timeline and adjust it accordingly.
2. Always have a backup plan.
In an uncertain environment, having a plan B is never a bad idea. While the pandemic has likely forced you to reconsider how your business operates and achieves its goals, CSR initiatives are just as important as they were before — if not more so.
3. Never go it alone.
Partnering with competitors and other like-minded organizations can help you improve your community and reach shared goals.
Read the full article about CSR focus by Kevin Xu at Forbes.