Big Differences In Perceptions of the Success Of Corporate Social Responsibility Efforts

People who design and implement Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives (practitioners) have a more positive view of how successful they are than do the outside consultants (providers) who counsel organisations on these efforts, according to a study by Sirota Survey Intelligence, specialists in attitude research, and The CRO (Corporate Responsibility Officer ñ www.thecro.com).

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practitioners are generally more positive than providers about how successful these efforts are in achieving their goals, helping companies to become good corporate citizens, and in assisting them in treating the communities in which they do business well, according to the study.

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Sirota Survey Intelligence (www.sirota.com) conducted the research, which includes more than 200 corporate practitioners of CSR efforts and providers of CSR-related services.

CSR practitioners include executives and managers who have responsibility for developing and implementing their organisationsí CSR efforts. Providers of CSR-related services include those who supply organisations with strategic advice and counseling, management consulting, communications solutions, research and development, training/education, advertising and public relations, and other services.

Douglas Klein, President of Sirota Survey Intelligence, presented the studyís findings at The CROís Spring Conference in New York. The study is the first in a series of tracking studies by Sirota and The CRO covering individuals and organisations involved in the emerging CSR arena, and suggests that CSR practitioners have an opportunity to enhance further their partnerships with various constituencies.

Among the differences between corporate practitioners of CSR services and their outside providers are:

Achievement of CSR goals: 82% of practitioners rate their organisations favourably on their achievement of CSR goals, but only 53% of providers say organisationsí CSR efforts have attained their objectives

Being a good corporate citizen: 94% of practitioners rate their organisations favourably on being good corporate citizens, while only 65% of providers grade the organisations they serve as good corporate citizens

Treating communities in which they do business well: 93% of practitioners say they treat the communities in which they do business well, while only 65% of providers agree that organisations to which they supply consulting services treat their communities well

Has business-relevant CSR activities: 88% of practitioners feel that their CSR initiatives are relevant to the business, while only 60% of organisations that supply services to them agree that they are

Discontent among the constituents of companies may be driving the big differences between CSR practitioners and providers, according to Klein. ìThe providersí survey results appear to be a surrogate for other constituent groups that are affected by the companiesí CSR programs. While further research needs to be conducted to validate the findings for other stakeholder groups, the gap indicates that companies hold a more favourable view of their CSR efforts than those who these initiatives are supposed to benefit.î

The views of CSR practitioners and providers of CSR-related services were closer when asked about developing partnerships with various constituencies:

Partnership: 62% of practitioners view their relationships with suppliers as partners, close to the 57% of providers who said organisations treat them like partners
Receiving input from stakeholders: Both practitioners and providers are less positive than in other areas about whether companies receive sufficient input from stakeholders, which is an important component of a partnership. 62% of practitioners said their organisations get enough input from stakeholders, while only 44% of providers rated this favorably.

Most practitioners view relationships with their other constituents as partnerships, including 74% who regard customers and employees as partners, and 71% who consider communities as partners. Customers are rated the most important constituent group by practitioners, with employees rated the next most important.

ìTo optimize the investment in and benefits from CSR, a partnership among various corporate constituencies needs be created,î Klein said. ìThe alignment between the views of multiple corporate constituencies ensures sustained business success. However, organisations have yet to achieve that alignment. By surveying the opinions of key constituents on a regular basis, practitioners can learn how to close the gap between their views and those of providers,î Klein added.