How do you share your CSR initiatives with stakeholders?

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not only a moral duty, but also a strategic advantage for your business. By aligning your values, goals, and actions with the needs and expectations of your stakeholders, you can enhance your reputation, trust, and loyalty. But how do you communicate your CSR initiatives effectively and authentically? Here are some tips to help you share your CSR story with your stakeholders.

1 Identify your stakeholders

Before you craft your CSR message, you need to know who you are talking to and what they care about. Your stakeholders are anyone who is affected by or has an interest in your business, such as customers, employees, investors, suppliers, regulators, media, and community. Each stakeholder group may have different priorities, concerns, and preferences for how they receive information. Therefore, you need to segment your audience and tailor your message accordingly.

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2 Define your CSR goals and impact

Your CSR message should not be vague or generic. It should clearly state what your CSR goals are, why they matter to you and your stakeholders, and how you measure and report your progress and impact. You should also show how your CSR initiatives align with your core business strategy and values, and how they support the global or local challenges that affect your industry and society. Your CSR message should be honest, transparent, and realistic, and avoid greenwashing or exaggerating your achievements.

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3 Choose the right channels and formats

Depending on your stakeholder group and message, you may use different channels and formats to share your CSR story. For example, you may use your website, annual report, newsletter, blog, social media, press release, podcast, video, webinar, or event to reach your audience. You should also consider the tone, style, and language of your communication, and make it engaging, relevant, and easy to understand. You may use stories, testimonials, case studies, infographics, or statistics to illustrate your CSR impact and value.

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Salman Noersiwan Bachtiar

Corporate Ecologist │ Strategic Communication │ Impact Storyteller
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Consider using a narrative or storytelling approach and structure the report with ADLI elements: approach, deliverables, learning, and improvements.

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4 Engage your stakeholders

Sharing your CSR story is not a one-way communication. You should also invite feedback, input, and dialogue from your stakeholders, and show that you value their opinions and suggestions. You can use surveys, polls, forums, webinars, events, or social media to create opportunities for interaction and engagement. You should also acknowledge and respond to any questions, comments, or criticisms that you receive, and show how you use them to improve your CSR performance and accountability.

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Kelly Torres Betancurt

I help you to tell and boost your social and environmental impact stories to connect with your audience 🍃 Tips to boost your Corporate Volunteer Program
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I believe that involving stakeholders goes beyond using surveys, forums, webinars, etc. It's about engaging them in your CSR initiatives, collaborating with them. That way, you can share with them your initiatives and show them the impact you've created, and make them part of that.

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5 Collaborate with partners

You don't have to share your CSR story alone. You can also leverage the power and reach of your partners, such as NGOs, charities, industry associations, media outlets, or influencers, to amplify your message and credibility. You can co-create content, campaigns, events, or projects with your partners, and showcase how you work together to achieve common CSR goals and impact. You can also ask your partners to endorse, support, or share your CSR story with their own networks and audiences.

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Lee Correa

Business & Revenue Growth | Consultative Sales Leader | Revenue Optimization & Market Expansion | Digital Transformation in SaaS & Enterprise Solutions (ESG) | Building Elite Sales Teams & Leveraging C-Suite Network
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There is an old saying 'while giving arms let not your left hand know what you right is doing'...any money we spent in publicity around CSR is money to a lost cause... Govern better that all stakeholders need.

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6 Update and evolve your CSR story

Your CSR story is not a static or fixed narrative. It should reflect the changing needs and expectations of your stakeholders, as well as the evolving challenges and opportunities in your business and society. You should regularly monitor and evaluate your CSR performance and impact, and share your successes, challenges, and learnings with your stakeholders. You should also adapt and innovate your CSR strategy and initiatives, and communicate how you respond to new trends, issues, or demands in your field.

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7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Zeynep Ozler

Group Director | Communications Strategy, New Media, Strategic Communications
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Csr has evolved into impact. Value creation and impactful projects signal a new approach. The scope of the projects as well as the stakeholder involvement and new mediums/messages for impact scouting should be explored without falling into trap of communication washing. Also as holds true with CSR any project that is aligned with business goals and corporate values have more chance for survival

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How do you share your CSR initiatives with stakeholders?

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1 Identify your stakeholders

2 Define your CSR goals and impact

3 Choose the right channels and formats

4 Engage your stakeholders

5 Collaborate with partners

6 Update and evolve your CSR story

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Communications

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How do you share your CSR initiatives with stakeholders?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Identify your stakeholders

2 Define your CSR goals and impact

3 Choose the right channels and formats

4 Engage your stakeholders

5 Collaborate with partners

6 Update and evolve your CSR story

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Communications

Rate this article

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