Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be seen as an example of what in general terms is stated by Business Ethics. Ethics deal with values, norms and standards that we apply to our behavior and our activities. In a global society the debate about these values, norms and standards is essential in order to (prosperously) co-exist and contribute to a life worth living. An open dialogue is also required for the economic arena, where different stakeholders might have different views on the responsibilities of corporations, investors, governments and the civil society. This course covers CSR methods, tools, principles and practices, the ethics of CSR, communicating CSR, as well as the challenges of CSR and how to deal with them.
· Explain the history, concepts, and Caroll’s four-part definition of Corporate Social Responsibility
· Outline the reasons why CSR is important in the public and private sectors
· Recognize how business ethics, CSR and corporate governance are converging
· Illustrate the evolution and revolution of CSR
· Implement the ten rules for effective CSR communication to reach optimal communication outcome
· Create a competitive advantage by identifying various CSR challenges
Introduction to Corporate Social Responsibility
· Defining Corporate Social Responsibility
· The Concepts of Corporate citizenship
· Business criticism in a CSR cycle
· Historical perspectives
· Points of View on CSR
· Caroll’s four-part definition
Importance of CSR
· 3Ps Theory (People, Planet, Profits)
· Two different views of CSR
· Corporations involvement in CSR
· Arguments for and against CSR
Ethics and CSR
· Definitions and relationships
· Business ethics developments
· Ways companies integrate ethics
· Engagement in a global code of business ethics
· Making decisions on ethical issues
· The evolution and revolution of CSR
· The rise and fall of CSR
· The failure of CSR: three curses
· Embracing the future: five principles
· Shapeshifting: from CSR 1.0 to CSR 2.0
Rules for effective CSR communication
· Rule 1: act first, talk later
· Rule 2: the why and the wherefore
· Rule 3: be prepared
· Rule 4: CSR must be a boardroom priority
· Rule 5: involve the employees
· Rule 6: extract messages
· Rule 7: everybody is different
· Rule 8: embrace dialogue
· Rule 9: become an example of good practice
· Rule 10: responsible product brands
Challenges of CSR
· Friedman versus Russell
· Dimensions of CSR
· Models of CSR
· Features of CSR models
· CSR in developing countries
· Drivers of CSR in developing countries
· CSR implementation framework
· Common mistakes in CSR
· Factors to consider in a business case for CSR
Professionals in private companies, ‘NGOs’, local, regional and international organizations and governments who are currently involved in CSR, or would like to be involved in CSR, and wish to apply and embed the concept of CSR in their institution.