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What is the wrong way to be socially responsible? And why does that wrong way cost you money?
My kids know all about doing things wrong.
“SOr.r.r.y.” The sound kinda dribbles out of Reuben, my four-year-old. Reuben sits on the sofa and looks half out the window, half at the brother to whom he’s “apologizing”.
Hopefully Reuben will learn to be sincere someday. For now, though, Reuben sucks the meaning out of the actions society (and his parents) expect.
Many adults’ Social Responsibility Reports look like Reuben’s apology. One company highlights, “we have 30 teams dedicated participating [sic] in MS events nationwide. we [sic] also… man rest area booths for two… events… to distribute free water and sports nutrition items.”
I envision the balding CEO with greasy comb-over and unconscionably tight lime-green shorts. He runs through corporate headquarters to recruit dedicated participating [sic] teams.
Yes, modest benefits result from that company’s efforts. Perhaps SOMEone cares: the CEO’s spouse may squeal, “Oh, baby!” when told “Thirty teams!” Yet the company largely wastes the opportunity that social responsibility offers investors and society.
Other companies, however, integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. Arla foods’ Ingredients Supplements, for example, supports an NGO battling to defeat sub-Saharan hunger. The NGO uses Arla-donated product to test for improved cognitive performance in malnourished children; and to test for increased birth-weight in malnourished women’s infants. That interest and research results deliver value for shareholders as well as society.
When the results of Arla-supported tests arrive, the leaders of the NGO listen intently. Arla employees and their Board’s Research Committee hold their breath. And consumers like me pause.
As a business leader, you need new insights, tools, and strategies to deliver overwhelming value (and thus profit) today. You need to maximize the value in everything you do. When you have a business problem, find a socially responsible solution to that problem. And when you deliver social responsibility, integrate that into your business to supercharge impact and interest.
Are your socially responsible actions making a noticeable impact on . . . anyone?
Please share your thoughts in the comments or by sending me an email: info@RodWallacePhD.Com.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Rod
Dr. Rod Wallace is an economist, consultant, and speaker who helps businesses make more money by solving society’s problems. A Fulbright Fellow, he has led multi-organization billion-dollar initiatives worldwide and partnered with a Silicon Valley pioneer to explore the impact of Artificial Intelligence on society.
Rod speaks about how to integrate social responsibility into business to maximize profit and purpose. He highlights digital technology’s impact on society and the strategies and tools with which business can solve our big, systemic problems.
Contact Rod at info@RodWallacePhD.com.