For any corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative to succeed, at least one member of the senior management team needs to get involved and lead the process – not only by example but by participation, according to an expert in the field.
There are many CSR initiatives and programs that companies can get involved in, and it is important to scope out the commitments required from both parties, said Bowel Cancer Australia Chairman Emeritus Brian McFadyen.
“I’ve always striven to find that person at a senior level in a company who can be motivated to lead their own internal organisation with a cause, and so long as there’s a willingness on the part of the organisation to get involved there are good outcomes,” he said.
It is important for organisations to understand the connection between the communities they work with and choosing a potential CSR partner, said McFadyen, who also worked in Freehills (now Herbert Smith Freehills) for around 30 years (including lengthy periods in senior management, board and chairman roles) as well as the funds management arm of the Commonwealth Bank.
“I’ve always striven to find that person at a senior level in a company who can be motivated to lead their own internal organisation with a cause”
“It is important to keep a sharp focus on the needs, more than the benefits, of stakeholders at the board level,” he said.
“Even at the level of employees in the workplace, they need to have the knowledge and comfort that there are resources and information they can access and discussions they can participate and get engaged in.
“If the organisation is understanding of and sympathetic to their desire to do this, it is quite a positive for a board,” said McFadyen.
“There are many choices out there for organisations, and I don’t think it’s realistic for any to give you a lifelong commitment.
“We’ve found that trying to get an arrangement or a partnership that will run for a fixed term of three years or five years can be very good.”
McFadyen said this approach gives organisations more flexibility if members of its workforce might want to give more focus to something else.
Bowel Cancer Australia is running Decembeard during the month of December to help raise support and awareness of bowel cancer. For more information visit the Decembeard website. Image source: iStock
