Volume 1, Issue 1


Syndicate to name just a few recent ones. When deciding what NPO to align your com- pany with it’s important to assess the organizational capacity of the NPO to cre- ate results for its cause. It’s recommended that you evaluate their stakeholders to assess their commitment to the organization. You can arm yourself with a lot of information through the community discussion boards, annual reports, and social media channels. Con- sider a survey of your own members & stakeholders to be sure they support your choice. Surveys can also help you align your priorities through the collection of feedback from employees or customers. Now that you are armed with more informa- tion on what your base is looking to support, you can marry the selection or mes- sage with your organization’s culture and core values. A good example of an effective CSR program is Starbucks, who has an alignment with the Fair Trade coffee grow- ers in South America. This alignment shows a strong link between identifying their internal business practices and bringing awareness to a socially conscious campaign.


Suppliers count. Don’t forget to take a mo- ment to evaluate who you do business with as well. Do your business suppliers and vendors have formal CSR policies? Would you give preference to a company with a formal policy or exter- nal accreditation? Since today’s customers are more likely to buy from companies who are responsible commu- nity members, more and more organizations are view- ing CSR as an important factor in their RFP process when evaluating their part- ners, meeting destinations, hotels, and even the paper used to print event collat- eral.


“Businesses that have enduring CSR policies will find it easier to gain and retain customers.”


Execute your comprehensive CSR program. Once you have an appropri- ate CSR partner identified it’s equally important to cre- ate a circle of commitment around the idea by ensuring everyone involved with your organization is committed to the cause. From your em- ployees who can collaborate on the strategic plan to your customers who are also able to engage with the message, your CSR efforts become exponentially more powerful! Every department should be engaged in CSR including customer service, marketing, sales and HR. Throughout the year, it is equally impor- tant to evaluate and report on your progress toward meeting the goals. Busi-


nesses that have enduring CSR policies will find it eas- ier to gain and retain cus- tomers. The same CSR ideals corpo- rations use to assess their NPO alignments can be im- plemented into a non-profit organization’s which will help you be successful at acquiring and maintaining attendees and funding. Here are just a few ideas on how you can incorporate CSR into your live events. By focusing on community out- reach, either in your home- town or the area in which you are hosting a meeting, you can find many opportu- nities for giving back. Sev- eral good examples might be: groups can refurbish the home of a military family, help clean-up a school play- ground, create enduring habitats for wildlife and flora preservation, organize a food or clothing drive, or you could even have something as simple and cost-friendly as asking your event atten- dees to send postcards to deploying/ returning military.


CSR is everyone’s responsi- bility.


At the beginning of a new year, we should all take a moment to reflect on our responsibilities at work and home. Many of the ways to evaluate a CSR program, either as a NPO manager or potential supporter, are ac- tually the same ways you can evaluate a personal charity. Once you’ve identi- fied your personal affinity for a particular cause, in order to make the biggest impact you should follow some of these guidelines above to help evaluate the organiza- tion(s) you spend time volun- teering for or making mone- tary contributions.


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Let’s all do our part in 2012 to make an im- pact in our community, whether that’s global or local.


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