Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an important component to all successful companies. Often times when telling a story on rewarding events, intentions can be misconstrued. While reporting on charitable efforts, a few things to keep in mind are:
The importance of engaging your audience and interacting with your audience on the initiative You should ensure that the podium for the dialogue promotes interactive conversation and the conversation is meaningful. Go beyond just telling your CSR story and successes by developing a relationship and opening a platform such as Twitter or Facebook to respond to questions, promote industry best practices, encourage feedback and celebrate accomplishments while encouraging collaboration.
Let your work tell the story for you Third-party endorsements bring great integrity to your message. Cultivate relationships with key influencers on the initiative. In return, they will return by highlighting your company’s contributions and further develop your message. Additionally, encourage the organizations that your company supports to share the impact of your collaborations. Letting the story be told through the original source will allow the appreciation and gratitude to shine through.
Keeping your contributions genuine and without exaggeration Be accurate and transparent in your dialogue and you will build trust for your company amongst your audience. Dedicating your time to the matters of community and labor involvement come from the heart and should sound like it. Tell the story from start to finish and let your audience know why you were compelled to contribute to the particular initiative. The more genuine the message, the more your audience will listen and will want to join on the rewarding journey of improving our community and making a difference. CSR initiatives need to be understood as a movement and not a moment in the company’s schedule.
-Shannon Thornton
Photo via Flickr Account Alex Indigo