Turning Passion for Social Impact into True CSR Expertise

Giving Compass’ Take:

• Writing for the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), author Angeline Chin from Johnson & Johnson examines the need for more baseline training in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility, which attracts professionals from many different backgrounds.

• In what ways can companies support CSR training methods, and should nonprofits play a role in collaborating on such workforce development?

• Here’s how to win your first 100 days at a new CSR job.

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The desire to “do good” in the world has gone far beyond an individual’s desire to give back. Consumers want to know the positive contributions of the companies with whom they are engaging; Employees want to work for companies who are making an impact; Multinational corporations (MNCS), who know their businesses can be used to advance positive change, have been working strategically to use their resources — money, products and even employees — as they look to create social impact initiatives.

But as the CSR sector grows, especially in Asia where the field is still nascent, one of the key barriers to successful CSR programs is finding people with the right skills and training to implement a company’s CSR platform. Most CSR professionals gravitate towards the field from careers in communications, marketing, or even HR functions; many come from non-profits or development agencies like the UN or WHO among others, and may not have the requisite skills to maximize the potential of the CSR programs. For example, selecting and working with the right partners, activating employees in volunteer or secondment programs, or measuring and evaluating corporate giving programs are in fact professional specialties that need to be developed over time. I had the same struggles when I first entered this field 7 years ago because there is no knowledge pre-requisite before starting a CSR career.

Having joined CSR programs first at Credit Suisse and now at Johnson & Johnson Global Community Impact, it is clear to me that while many people across the region have the passion and the desire, and some of the skills needed, they are lacking baseline knowledge of what CSR should cover, including what should “good” look like? What does “best in class” mean? What should benchmarks of success be?

Read the full article about what true CSR expertise looks like by Angeline Chin at avpn.asia.