ASSESSMENT How good is your Corporate Responsibility program? Conduct materiality assessment that includes stakeholder engagement and an assessment of your company's economic, environmental and social impacts. This assessment demonstrates the value of Corporate Responsibility (CR) to your company, providing a roadmap for getting started or amplifying existing CR work.
Identify your company's key internal & external stakeholders (e.g., executives, other employees, regulators, customers, consumers, activists/bloggers, investors, NGOs & industry peers)
Determine your company stakeholders' needs and interests (what they expect, how they define CR, etc.)
Identify your company's economic, environmental and social impacts (impacts on communities, climate change, health/safety, gender equality, etc.) and determine what is most important (material) & capable of addressing
Prioritize risks, opportunities and key focus areas (SWOT analysis / materiality assessment)
POSITIONING Is your Corporate Responsibility positioning clear, relevant and differentiated? Develop clear statement of your company's role as a responsible company. Your Corporate Responsibility (CR) positioning will:
Be clear, credible and transparent;
Reduce confusion on CR and what it means to your company; and
Be emotionally-engaging and inspire support, both within and outside your company
STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT Do you have the right Corporate Responsibility strategies? Develop Corporate Responsibility (CR) goals and strategies to cut costs, grow revenues, enhance brand, mitigate risks & leverage opportunities, based on materiality assessment and coherent CR positioning. Goals and strategies will answer to key stakeholders, generate ROI, and support continued work. Examples include:
CR performance improvement in response to assessments by customers and raters (e.g., MSCI)
Partnering with NGO's, industry peers & other public influencers
COMMUNICATIONS Are you getting credit for your good Corporate Responsibility efforts and creating meaningful conversation? Develop Corporate Responsibility (CR) communications to enhance company brand and stakeholder engagement:
Credible, engaging and sharable CR messages to reach key (internal & external) stakeholders on their topics of interest
Engagement through multiple touch points, e.g., corporate web site, social media, supply chain workshops, industry conferences & thought leadership pieces. Communication vehicles will enhance transparency, reduce confusion, and generate conversation.
Corporate reports of all types, including reports in accordance with GRI Standards and aligned with SASB, ESG criteria, SDGs, TCFD, CDP and other reporting frameworks
Issues management
PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS Are you connecting the dots on Corporate Responsibility to maximize buy-in and build momentum? Lead presentations & workshops on the value of Corporate Responsibility (CR); starting a program; and amplifying existing CR work:
Company workshops on what CR means and why directors, executives and other employees should care
Stakeholder engagement to support SWOT analysis / materiality assessment
Multi-stakeholder meetings to build buy-in on CR positioning, goals & strategies; and develop partnerships