Is CSR Newsworthy

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Is CSR Newsworthy?

• Lala Rimando
• Newsbreak business editor
• CSR Media Training
• November 17, 2007

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(No Transcript)
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So is CSR newsworthy?
Audience
Internal newsletter, etc
Mass consumption

• IT DEPENDS

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Generally not perceived as newsworthy because

• Not really hard news
• Dont move the markets
• Dont affect prices
• Mere feel-good stories
• Not sexy topics
• Not sensational
• Messianic zeal is not persuasive enough

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CSR baggage

• Plus some CSR baggage
• Atonement of sins
• Cover-up
• Spin We are the good guys
• CSR (by default) PR
• - CSR events become occasions to ambush CEOs with
  questions on more controversial issues

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Yes, newsworthy. Theres a trend.

• Imposed on us through the value chain
• Multinational companies implementing CSR agenda
  of head office
• Major local companies implementing their own
  versions
• Market competitiveness
• Requirement of investors
• Means beyond Its natural to care

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the entire planet

• CSR Drivers
• Humane working conditions

Government

• Pressure groups same standards to outsourced
  suppliers?

Investors, Creditors
Competitors
Employees
COMPANY

• Consumer groups products are safe, useful,
  reasonably priced

Customers
Shareholders
Supplier

• Society - security, supply of qualified
  employees, environment

Community
The world

• Climate change

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• What is a CSR Story?
• Responsible?
• - Cite as good example for others to emulate
• Irresponsible?
• Our watchdog role. Name and shame.

the entire planet
Government
Investors, Creditors
Competitors
Employees
COMPANY
Customers
Shareholders
Supplier
Community
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THE BIG PICTURE
THE BIG PICTURE
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(No Transcript)
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The Good Company
Corporate Social Responsibilities
Philanthropic Responsibilities
Be a Good Corporate Citizen
Do what is right, just, fair. Avoid harm.
Ethical Responsibilities
Legal Responsibilities
Obey the Law
Economic Responsibilities
Be Profitable
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CSR is

• What you MAKE,
• How you TAKE and
• What you GIVE.

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What to do with the good company

• Even good stories have to follow the standards
  of journalism Timeliness, Accuracy,
  Impartiality, with public interest, Uniqueness,
  Scale
• Journalists need to dig deeper
• put CSR activities into context, and
• report them as part of a bigger story on a
  companys activities.

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Questions we will ask

• What is the real problem you are trying to solve?
  
• - Scale, Timeliness of problem
• 2. What are the MOTIVATIONS behind the CSR
  programs?
• - Are you just pontificating?
• - want officials to sound virtuous
• 3. What do you want to accomplish? What are your
  CSR Goals?
• - reputation that translates to goodwill
• - become employer of choice
• - boost brand
• 4. What evidence do you have to prove your
  success? How will it be measured?
• The value of these soft assets on the balance
  sheet

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• 5. Is CSR embedded in your business operations?
• - Where is the budget coming from?
• - Who is in charge? Ad hoc group?
• - Is there a long-term commitment or just a
  marketing ploy? Tokenism?
• 6. Who is the audience you are trying to reach?
• Clients? Investors? Prospective hires?
• 7. What role does CSR play when you have major
  business decisions?
• i.e. designing new products, entering a market,
  putting up a new factory, managing crisis

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Getting the message across
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When promoting CSR accomplishments

• Substance, not spin
• No PR gloss please, ie First Shell report
  published the number of people who had been fired
  for taking bribes got the press interested.
  (SustainAbility)
• 2. Be Transparent
• Tell us about your successes and setbacks.
• Acknowledge the complexity of the issues and your
  imperfections.
• What you have done, not done, and what needs to
  be done

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• 3. Dont stretch the truth
• In other words, dont exaggerate.
• CSR success depends upon tangible results, not
  rhetoric.
• 4. Dont lie. It will haunt you
• The media is relatively gentler on those who
  openly admit they screwed up. Its disarming.
  Although we may not become your friend, we will
  at least contemplate that you have a conscience.
  That realisation alone can be the difference
  between a hostile story and one that respects the
  sometimes-complicated choices an executive faces
  when handling a crisis.

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• No one would believe us if we lied about the
  merits of CSR because we believed unquestioningly
  in the philosophy.
• By the same token, no one will trust the CSR
  commitments of corporations for very long if
  those commitments arent openly tested in the
  public arena.
• - Kevin Marsh, BBC College of Journalism

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Thank you