CSR ProgramsDeveloping a corporate social responsibility for the business!
A key part of the strategic growth at Abco was to develop a corporate responsibility policy and a program that would strengthen the brand equity of the business and be relevant to its core customers building service contractors and facility managers.
When it comes to Corporate Social Responsibility Program the main question around the boardroom is always cost and what is the value to the organisation. Main Challenges for developing and implementing the corporate social responsibility were:
- Cost:
We had to maximise the small budget dedicated to social responsibility and still have a significant impact to empower our community..
- Find the right partners:
Looking for key partners linked to the commercial cleaning industry, sustainable waste management and facility management.
- Buy in from the executive team:
It is important that each department and not just marketing understand and backs up the significance of the program and how it creates value for the business, employees and customers. Basically how we are going to sell the idea!
Each and every part of the organization matters when a new corporate social responsibility program:
- Linking CSR with sales, operations and procurement:
The program needed to be linked with sales and tied to the most sold item of the business – toilet tissue and hand towel. The impact of toilet paper on the planet is huge and as one of the largest supplier of this basic hygiene commodity in Australia we had to a knowledge the adverse consequences of high usage of toilet paper and address this in a positive manner.
- Determine the right CSR Partners:
With a range of Non-for-profit organisation to choose from, we decided to focus on those linked to reforestation in order to conteract the negative effect of paper consumption on the planet. Another part of the CSR Program was to focus on the impact Abco has as an organisation on the planet and find ways to address all of them through a series of projects some of these included use of disposable plastic bags in the cleaning industry, heavy usage of toxic chemicals going into our water ways, etc…
- Get the team on board:
Go through a series of workshop and discussion with the leadership team to ensure they feel included in the decision and participate to the development of the program.
When there is a will there is always a way.
- Partnering with Greenfleet:
After considering various options Greenfleet seemed to be the perfect fit with their ‘Plant A Forest’ Program which enables any corporation to contribute. By contributing only 1c per paper product carton to Green Fleet Abco would be able to easily reach a target of planting 1000 trees a year!
- Collaboration is key in CSR:
With any CSR program the key is to ensure that the clients participate in the program, this becomes an incentive to drive sales and also strengthen the relationship. Having a CSR Program to which customers contribute adds value to the B2B relationship.
- CSR Programs and corporate culture.
A dash board with a growing tree was develop for internal staff to see how many trees we are contributing too. When you can measure success everyone pays attention. The Greenfleet contribution became a key focus of the business and something we all became proud of. It was helping us live to the values of the business “empower the community’.
“Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so.” – David Brooks
This is Deena to a tee, a professional with self belief and the edge to make great ideas happen. I would suggest another unique skill of Deena’s is the ability to read the moment, interpret and distill it to a usable hook, in order to pass on the message.
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