CDinD: CSR

About

Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business/ Responsible Business)[1] is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international norms. In some models, a firm's implementation of CSR goes beyond compliance and engages in "actions that appear to further some social good, beyond the interests of the firm and that which is required by law." CSR is a process with the aim to embrace responsibility for the company's actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities, stakeholders and all other members of the public sphere who may also be considered as stakeholders.

The term "corporate social responsibility" became popular in the 1960s and has remained a term used indiscriminately by many to cover legal and moral responsibility more narrowly construed.

Common Types of Corporate Social Responsibility Actions

There are many aspects of corporate social responsibility; whether a company decides to develop one area of CSR, or multiple, the end result is a more profitable company experiencing a higher level of employee engagement. The following is a list of common ways corporate social responsibility is implemented by organizations.

• Environmental Sustainability: Areas include recycling, waste management, water management, using renewable energy sources, utilizing reusable resources, creating 'greener' supply chains, using digital technology instead of hard copies, developing buildings according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)® standards, etc. There is a business sector dedicated to specifically to environmental sustainability consulting for businesses of any size to utilize. The highest ranked sustainability consulting firm is Ernst & Young 
• Community Involvement: This can include raising money for local charities, supporting community volunteerism, sponsoring local events, employing people from a community, supporting a community's economic growth, engaging in fair trade practices, etc. Starbucks is an example of a company that focuses on community involvement and engagement; since these programs began the company has seen higher profits and greater employee engagement.
• Ethical Marketing Practices: Companies that ethically market to consumers are placing a higher value on their customers and respecting them as people who are ends in themselves. They do not try to manipulate or falsely advertise to potential consumers. This is important for companies that want to be viewed as ethical.

Examples of using CRS

From my point of view, one of the most successful brand which we can research as examples of the work of the CSR is Starbucks.

Starbucks run business by responsibility and conducting its self in the methods which are giving trust and respect from its customers and neighbors. In this way, it calls “shared planet” that means Starbucks emphasize on ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement. Moreover under company‟s operation , it also believes supporting the good workplace for partners or staffs encouraging ethical business practices and maintaining legal compliance , corporate governance and also public policy.

The Starbursts Company has the principles of running business every day “how we live that every day” as following.

• The Company focuses on the quality of coffee bean and also enhancing farmers‟live who grow the coffee bean. The world market of coffee has historically been sensitive to price flexibility in which is linked to global demand and supply. It has been affecting to coffee farmers so Starbucks helps them to buy coffee and has adopted a more integrated and sustainable model. Starbucks has paid premium price to help farmers to make more profit and support their families. Starbucks has created a policy that they call C.A.F.E (Coffee and Farmer Equity) to show responsibility towards the moral, environmental and quality aspects of processing and selling coffee. Moreover, Starbucks provides funds for farmers to access credit, purchasing conservation and certified coffee that includes organic and Fair Trade Certified and also investing in social development project in coffee producing countries. The last thing, Starbucks has collaborated with coffee producers in Costa Rica that it offers farmers with training about the high quality coffee and technical support. Starbucks focus more on this stakeholder because they are sustainable to the company (Fiscal 2007 CSR Annual Report). 
• Customers feel like their places, good environment, warm condition which they can meet and enjoy with friends in rhythm of life (can see from services diversity). 
• We are the part of community. We are responsible in every community that we are going to operate business. Starbucks has donated and done activities for social project. Starbucks has conducted 16 community connections in 8 countries around Middle East during Holy month of Ramadan such as Neighborhood Girgean Celebration in Kuwait, they has celebration of the local tradition of Girgean by partner distributed Girgean packs to children during Ramadan month. Moreover, in Egypt, the partner of Starbucks visited to children cancer hospital 57357 that they spent time to take care children and donated a painting board to the playroom.
• The organizations believe different people need to be a part of good community by supporting various communities‟ activities in many areas. For instance, the community service, youth action, Starbucks foundation, Ethos water fund, Starbucks RED and etc (Starbuck 2010h). For example, every purchase of a (STARBUCKS) RED EXCLUSIVE beverage - Espresso Truffle, Gingersnap Latte, and Peppermint Mocha Twist - at all participating stores in the U.S. and Canada, Starbucks will contribute five cents directly to the Global Fund. And to honor the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, on Dec. 1, Starbucks will contribute five cents to the Global Fund for every handcrafted beverage purchased at a participating Starbucks as a continued way to show support for this important issue (Mystarbucksidea 2010). 

Design for CSR: Nike

Using an intriguing interaction design format created by Wieden+Kennedy with Ian Coyle and Duane King, that's exactly what Nike has done with its new site Nike Better World, which launched this week. Part corporate social responsibility report, part New Year's resolutions, the site covers Nike's programs—from environmental initiatives to socially focused sports leagues—opening with a quite brazen introductory statement: Don't Tell Us What We Can't Do.

Using the scrolling feature results in the best experience, as the oversize images dramatically transition into the next page like one continuous thought. Clicking the links takes you to more information, like details about GreenXchange, Nike's collaboration with Creative Commons to share information about manufacturing and materials with other companies.

While you're not going to get answers to, say, questions about specific labor practices, the site tells a powerful story about where Nike is headed, and enlists its audience in the journey: There's a call-to-action at the end where you can input your email to get updates and stay involved. And all of this is constructed in a way so that Nike's actual customers will want to read the content. 

Conclusion

As part of CSR, design plays a significant role. It may be a simple presentation or completely new product development / image in rules. Right design can convey how this or that brand relate to CSR. Present day design has long been a part of the CSR system.