Where’s the Heart of Corporate Social Responsibility?
Where’s the heart in corporate social responsibility (CSR)? The day of my wedding, I tied my tie and re-combed my hair for the fifteenth time.
My son, then five, called, “Dad! They’re waiting! Let’s go!”
My son ensured my wedding satisfied its reason for existence. Looking beautiful, eating well, and entertaining guests are worthy activities, but they have more meaning when combined with the heart of the wedding: two loving people joining their lives.
The heart of business is providing products and services that deliver targeted social outcomes, such as health (healthcare) and nourishment (food industry.) Unfortunately, more than 60% of the American economy is dedicated to industries failing to deliver such outcomes, including:
- Healthcare: Americans have the shortest lifespan in the developed world despite spectacular technology and immense spending.
- Food: Our food isn’t nourishing us, with obesity at epidemic levels, and micronutrient content falling in many commodities.
- Housing: We lack belonging as apartments are constructed without reasons to know neighbors, and many rapidly growing neighborhoods lack sufficient housing of any kind.
- Tech Industry: 47% of Americans complain of chronic loneliness, despite cellphone’s ability to ‘connect loved ones with the touch of a button’
Shouldn’t CSR’s heart be fixing the social failures that lead to such poor business outcomes? The most common CSR focus areas are worthy (computer literacy, education, and skill training). Yet, such efforts could be more meaningful together with CSR’s heart.
When targeting socially responsible efforts, include cleaning up after your industry’s social failures. You’ll deepen understanding of that failure, and gain perspective on your work.
Redesigning our social system so you can profitably deliver key social outcomes will require new tools, creative insights, and enhanced collaboration. That said, the rewards for such purposeful action will enhance your life and that of everyone around you.
Do your socially responsible efforts impact what you consider the heart of our social problems?
Let me know your thoughts and comments below.
Our society cannot just survive. For the sake of our children, it must thrive.
Rod
