By Paul Nixey and Kylie McMullan

While corporate social responsibility (CSR) is nothing new, engaging in CSR is more popular than ever. “Purpose” and “impact” are being thrown around in boardrooms across the country. Companies have seen the benefits of having a robust CSR program that connects and resonates with their key stakeholders, which include increased sales and consumer loyalty as well as lower employee turnover.

More than ever, consumers expect companies to support the causes they believe in. This is especially true for younger generations, with 83 percent of millennials saying it’s important for companies they support to align with their values. Employees also want to work for employers that represent their values. Long gone are the days when companies could comfortably sit on the sidelines of controversial issues. However, CSR should go deeper than just posting a social media statement every once and a while. CSR initiatives should be woven through the company’s actions and processes, including HR policies and political donations.

Here are six tips on how to engage in meaningful CSR: 

1. Be authentic

Don’t get involved in a cause if you’re not walking the talk. It’s all well and good to change your logo to include the Pride rainbow but if you make donations to politicians with anti-LGBTQIA2S+ views or if you don’t have inclusive HR policies, both employees and consumers will know it’s inauthentic. BP Oil spent millions on a rebrand to position itself as Beyond Petroleum, with an emphasis on more sustainable practices. However, no rebrand or CSR efforts could undo the damage of its Gulf of Mexico Oil spill.

2. Be strategic

We all want to help. While it would be great to get involved with every cause and every issue, resources are always a constraint no matter how big the organization. Be strategic and invest where you can have the biggest impact. The toymaker Lego is actively working to reduce its carbon footprint by investing in a Sustainable Materials Center, researching how to make its bricks from recycled plastics. This is significant given how many plastic toys Lego produces each year.

3. Be engaged

Once you’ve chosen the causes where you can have the most impact, look for ways to listen, learn, and engage. Can senior leaders sit on key boards and committees related to the cause? Can you use your platform to make a real difference by raising awareness, funds, or political will? How can you apply any learnings throughout your organization and or use them to choose your suppliers?

4. Have a crisis plan

If you’ve read our other columns in the Georgia Straight, you know that we always recommend having a crisis plan. However, any organizations that were large supporters of WE Day understand the importance of having one. Things can change quickly and it’s important to be prepared for all possible scenarios.

5. Communicate

How can your customers, shareholders, suppliers, and employees buy-in and even support your initiatives if you don’t communicate what you’re doing? Providing updates on plans and sharing metrics through sustainability or impact reports is a good place to start. Even if you are not doing perfectly yet, if you’re transparent about where you are and where you hope to get, you’ll build credibility with your audience.

6. But sometimes, be quiet

Not everything needs to be a press release. There is nothing worse than a one-hit-wonder CSR approach to the cause du jour. Building relationships is the most important role of CSR. It’s okay to sometimes just contribute quietly.

CSR is an important part of organizations’ community relations and communications strategy. Before investing time and resources in it, make sure what you’re doing is impactful, strategic, and purposeful.