Philanthropy & CSR

Not sure of the difference between Philanthropy and Corporate Social Responsibility? Not even sure what Corporate Social Responsibility means? Here are two sources that you can trust to educate you and - more importantly - keep you from looking dumb at the next corporate gathering.

Like any rapidly growing topic, the more we hear about Corporate Social Responsibility, the harder it is to determine which sources of information are trustworthy. With terms like “greenwashing” to scare us away, few people have the energy to dig through the plethora of books, papers, articles, and websites on the topic. What we need is to simplify. Toward that end, here are two - yes, just an easily manageable two - sources for you to place at the top of your list. If you check on only these two sources every few days for your CSR info, you will be well-equipped to sound intelligent and informed next time the topic comes up in conversation.

First, old-school yet innovative print media: Corporate Knights Magazine.

I’m a huge fan of the team over at Corporate Knights (based in Toronto, Ontario). They are a notably smart and insightful group, breaking new ground in Canada with their thorough research and accessible reporting. (See their Global 100 index for an example of why you need to be reading this magazine.) There is simply no other print piece like it for the field of CSR - which is why, as you can imagine, I was delighted at the request to be interviewed for this month’s issue along with great CSR minds, Peggie Pelosi, Sandra Waddock, and Bob Willard. The article is titled, “Philanthropy is Dead?” Read it here and let me know if you would answer that question with a yes or a no.

When you read the article above, you’ll discover one reason that I am such an advocate for this next CSR source: Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. Listed as part of the Coporate Knights piece is Boston College's Five Stages of Corporate Citizenship (scroll to the end). Check out the detailed (and fascinating) pdf here to determine which stage your company is in. Boston College is, as far as I’m concerned, the leading academic institution creating bridges between practical research and practitioners in the field. The Center for Corporate Citizenship works mostly with Fortune 500 companies, but their resources are invaluable to businesses of all sizes. Another great one to get started with? The 6 Drivers for Effective Employee Volunteering and Giving.

I'd love to hear about how much smarter these resources make you! Feel free to comment or contact me at the info provided below.

Chris Jarvis & Angela Parker

c: 317-371-4435 | chrisjarvis@realizedworth.com

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Philanthropy & CSR