9 key points in the communication of CSR projects
According to the CSR Dynamics study in Romania, conducted by CSRMedia.ro in collaboration with the consulting firm Valoria, 78% of the respondent companies define social responsibility as involvement in the community, 63% consider it to be a sustainable business strategy, and 63% see it centered on business ethics.
The World Business Council for Sustainable Development defines Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as "the ongoing commitment of companies to behave ethically and contribute to economic development, while improving the quality of life of employees and their families, as well as the local community and society at large".
Why do CSR companies in Romania do?
Through CSR projects and programs, companies aim to have a positive impact on people, communities and ecosystems that are impacted by the company's activities. It is a principle that brands adopt on a voluntary basis, but it is increasingly becoming a moral obligation to meet the needs of stakeholders.
In Romania, the same study shows that 57% of companies are involved in CSR because they are part of their public relations strategy, 48% because these actions bring them recognition and visibility, 51% because they are part of their sustainability strategy, and 34% because they facilitate the development of the employer brand. This is why 63% of companies say that it is the PR and Marketing department that has the budget line for CSR.
Implementation of CSR projects in Romania
Implementing corporate social responsibility can positively influence business performance, from reducing costs and improving efficiency, to increasing product quality. But a well thought out and implemented CSR strategy can improve brand awareness and customer loyalty. This requires the development of a well-structured internal and external communication plan for CSR initiatives.
In Romania, 81% of companies that make CSR communicate about their projects through press releases, 84% through social media, and 78% through the company's website. The focus on external communication is evident, as 29% of companies consider customers to be the most important area for assessing the impact of CSR activity and only 10% employees.
Communication of CSR projects in Romania
The most important aspects that companies should focus on structuring the communication strategy of CSR projects are the following:
- Define your central message of CSR communication and decline it coherently in internal and external communication.
- Make sure that the central message is relevant to the areas where the company does CSR projects (social, education, environment), so as not to create dissonances.
- Involve employees in generating internal communication content of CSR projects.
- Determine what elements of internal and external communication are for each stage of the project (preparation, approval, planning, launch, scrolling, main monitoring and measurement stages, closure and celebration).
- Collaborate with an advertising agency to make communication materials (text, images, video, etc.) to have powerful, impactful concepts.
- You also work with an agency to disseminate communication materials to the media or on social media platforms to have the right to all target audiences.
- Measure and communicate the evolution of results as CSR projects are carried out, especially within the company, for employee involvement and building the CSR mentality.
- Establish feedback mechanisms to help you get the reaction of your project team, your company colleagues, other relevant audiences inside and outside your company in real time.
- Make it possible for colleagues to transform formally or informally into evangelists (advocates) of the company's CSR projects on social media networks.
Instead of conclusion
More and more brands include corporate social responsibility in their marketing strategy or even in their core business, when they involve not only a corporate perspective based on economic goals, but also the impact on the environment, people and communities.
Largely under pressure from increasingly informed consumers, companies understand that they are not operating in an isolated economic space, but that their work has a major impact on the environment and social welfare. It is therefore important that CSR projects are communicated coherently and relevantly to all categories of stakeholders (stakeholders) inside and outside the company.