CSR – What Does It Mean To You?
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The term Corporate Social Responsibility came in to common use in the early 1970s and has been a hotly-debated subject ever since.
The concept revolves around businesses working responsibly and contributing constructively to the communities they work in.
Some critics claim CSR is a luxury or window-dressing ploy designed to make companies look good and boost short-term profits. These same opponents argue it has now fallen out of vogue as the harsh economic realities of the downturn begin to bite.
Supporters insist, however, that the principle and practice of CSR is still as relevant, if not more so, during the downturn. They argue that businesses must act with an ethical perspective not only for their own long-term benefit but also to meet the social and environmental expectations of consumers, employees and other stakeholders. The belief is that if your commitment is dropped at the first sign of a downturn, the chances are nobody will believe your commitments in the future.
You may feel that making a charity donation is a good way of proving your CSR credentials or perhaps you feel it is better to devote your time and skill for nothing to worthy causes. The environment is still a major area of concern and you might believe it is more important for your business to help cut global warming through recycling or off-setting your carbon footprint.
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This entry was posted by Bian Salins on 11 Mar 2009 at 14:12 and is filed under Your voice. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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One Response to “CSR – What Does It Mean To You?”
Reply from EPCexpert on 16 Mar 2009 at 12:50
I feel that many organisations, some of whom are (or aspire to be) household names, have not lived up to their “green” CSR aspirations in recent times and even more so due to the current economic climate.
However, it is possible for an organisation to live up to CSR targets on carbon footprint reduction whilst at the same time reducing energy bill spend! Most businesses can reduce their energy usage (without necessarily installing noisy wind turbines on the roof!).
An energy audit can identify COST EFFECTIVE ways in which a business can reduce energy usage, often at little or no cost. Recommendations are set out in terms of effectiveness/cost/pay-back period, so that businesses can plan a programme of budgeted measures in order to achieve the desired savings.
EPCompare LLP can source comparative quotes for energy audits, Energy Performance Certificates, Air Conditioning Assessments and much more, via its easy-to-use website at https://www.epcompare.com or call Jeff Lake on 01702 426359 to discuss your energy-related needs.