CSR – dialogue or dictatorship?

To me the success of CSR/ community relations efforts is measured not just by positive publicity, improved reputation or the limited number or stakeholders who benefit from programmes. Successful CSR depends as much as on the process as on the outputs and outcomes of communication programmes. It’s not about what you “the manager” thinks is best for the community. It’s about understanding the community, having discussions with the community in order to partner and launch projects, which meet community needs and can be maintained based on budget allocations. Of course, a company cannot meet all demands. Sometimes a community has many issues to deal with, and a company is not a Government so this is the balancing act companies are faced with.

The reality is that for many multinationals, communities have great expectations. Managers from two, major, energy, multinationals in Trinidad and Tobago have told me that their main challenge is controlling community expectations. Control is a strong word, and should be replaced with – the challenge is helping people to understand that we can’t meet all of their expectations but certainly together we can prioritise community issues and needs and decide the ways the company can help the community.

During my research on the role of public relations practitioners in corporate social responsibility I conducted two interviews. One of the interviewees, a public relations manager – also from an energy, multinational company – supported the need for partnership and negotiation, stating:

“Even if you want to win friends and influence people you have to do it in a spirit of partnership and not impose what you think is good for them. I think that is one of the biggest flaws in which CSR programmes are implemented.”

Whether you’re planning a community project or planning to construct an industrial plant or a smelter in a community, there should be real discussion. It shouldn’t be a matter of David and Goliath going at it. If companies continue to have flawed processes in creating, implementing and communicating CSR programmes or implementing business decisions that directly impact people’s lives, they will always encounter scepticism about the credibility of their CSR efforts. Flawed processes also translate into companies and their public relations departments being accused of public relations stunts, gimmickry and power brokering. That’s why the success, legitimacy and credibility of CSR programmes depend on the process, and not just the package of delivery.