Large corporate bodies and even small companies perform various activities which provide benefits to its employees and stakeholders connected to them. However, it is necessary to ensure that their activities and decisions do not pollute the environment or harm the sentiments of the members of a particular community. In order to make companies socially responsible and make them accountable to the public for their activities, governments all over the world came forward with the concept of corporate social responsibility. It involves making companies accountable and responsible for their activities and to uphold general public law of protecting the environment and public sentiments.
Companies in the 21st century hire the services of CSR consulting firms which provide dedicated and professional CSR consulting service ranging from simple creation of CSR plan to undertaking CSR activities on behalf the company. CSR programs undertaken by a consulting firm on behalf of a corporate body can be divided into 4 broad categories:
1. Support activities:
These activities may involve simple tasks ranging from planting of trees in the nearby garden for protecting the environment to voluntarily allocating and directing funds for up liftment of certain section of a society. Such activities help in building socially responsible image of the organization in the minds of the public and make the company responsible for protection of public rights and sentiments.
2. Social concern activities:
Under this category, companies indulge in such activities which show to the general public that they are not driven by profits but are also concerned about certain other aspects like climate change and racial discrimination. Companies carry out CSR activities which help in improving the conditions in the society and of the environment at large for example carrying out research activities for protecting the environment or inventing a life saving drug even though the company is not engaged in healthcare activities etc. Any organization or company whether large or small can perform CSR activities under this category.
3. Activities for protecting the environment:
A company may perform following activities under this category:
• Reducing carbon footprint of companies production activities by changing the method of production, making it mandatory to travel by public transportation and using energy efficient lighting system within the workplace.
• Carrying out awareness drives and programs to make people aware about certain environmental aspects like climate change and the need to curb the use of single use plastic containers etc.
• Carrying out recycling drives for both electronic and recyclable material
• Using environmental friendly methods of transportation, production and working.
4. Activities for up liftment of employees and labor:
Under this category a company can modify its labour policies which in turn benefit the employees who perform administrative work and workers who carry out production activities. This involves giving equal pay, making workplace safer and reducing discrimination within the workplace etc.
Best corporate social responsibility programs undertaken by an organization fall under the above mentioned categories. It depends upon the company, its needs, budget and the public in general which ultimately decides the type of CSR activity which a company can perform successfully with the help of CSR consulting firms.
