By Kate McClaskey

A recent study conducted by Vikas Mittal of Rice University [PDF] found that Americans now more than ever, expect corporations to not only be profitable, but sustainable and socially responsible. But even with high expectations, CSR can get caught in the PR net, becoming labeled as nothing more than a stunt. The British research firm Business Planning & Research International recently found that 44 percent of the British public and 67 percent of members of Parliament find CSR to be more about creating a good image than corporate responsibility. This is still a troubling pattern for CSR.

A recent example of what some are calling a CSR publicity stunt comes from the restaurant chain Hooters, who announced last month that they are collecting torn Hooters girl’s pantyhose from all over the country and donating them to be used in boons in an effort to help absorb the oil spilt in the Gulf of Mexico. The effort, called Project Pantyhose, could ultimately absorb 1 million gallons of oil.

This and other such corporate endeavors have made the CSR effort even more confusing. In a 2007 article in the Journal of Communication Management, it was found that CSR initiatives are not really taken seriously by a lot of the media. That CSR is criticized as being a PR stunt is unsurprising, bearing in mind that many CSR workers in companies sit in the communications and PR departments.

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By Kate McClaskey

What’s new in CSR? Here’s what we have been reading this weekend.

What does Malta and theology have in common?
Justmeans examines the new program being offered in Malta that offers a master’s in CSR. The brainchild of the Reverend Professor Emmanuel Agius, dean of the Faculty of Theology, and Saviour Gauci, dean of the Faculty of Economics, Management and Accountancy, at the University of Malta, the Master’s degree in Business Ethics will offer CSR executives and other professionals the opportunity to debate the responsibility of business on society.

Smithfield Foods releases its ninth annual CSR Report and commits to reducing energy, and water use, and solid waste 10 percent by 2016
Environmental Leader discusses Smithfield Foods, http://www.smithfieldfoods.com/ who has committed to meet several new environmental goals. In 2009, Smithfield Foods has reduced greenhouse gas emissions at its plants by four percent since 2007. The company also cut its processing emissions per 100 pounds of production by 62 percent compared to 2007 and its first-processing emissions per animal by 41 percent. These improvements have helped decrease company costs by an estimated $100 million over that time period. This is just another example of the win-win outcomes CSR creates for companies.

A Louis Vuitton Bag With A Side Of CSR
Hana Alberts of Forbes.com looks at a new study, which finds that corporate social responsibility matters – especially if you want to sell luxury brands in China. The most surprising result? There is a strong correlation between a company’s social responsibility policy and the consumer’s desire to buy their products. When asked “Does the social responsibility of a luxury brand affect your purchasing decision of its products,” 68% of respondents said it did, while only 10% said it didn’t. The authors were caught off guard by the strength of the result, according to Ruder Finn Asia Chairman Jean-Michel Dumont, who has helped develop communication strategy for brands such as Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Cartier.

SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Grant More Than $1 Million to Help Protect Animals in Need
Animals and endangered species around the world will benefit from the new initiatives by SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund. This includes preserving the Florida Keys, safe guarding sea turtle nesting sites, sand tiger shark conservation, and conserving the West African Manatee.

By Andrea Newell (Grand Rapids, MI)

Currently women make up about half the U.S. workforce, so more than ever before, retaining women in the workplace is an important issue. Many businesses offer work/life balance, flex time, and other family-friendly incentives to attract, inspire and keep female employees, but a recent survey shows another surprising way to make women happy: do good, and tell the world about it.

A survey conducted by the Simmons School of Management and Hewlett-Packard during the 2009 Simmons School of Leadership Conference reported that female employees who thought their employers were ethical and supported socially responsible initiatives were happier with their jobs, thought less about quitting, and were more likely to champion their company in social settings. However, the findings also showed that since many women were unaware of their company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, employers were missing out on this unexpected benefit.

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By Melissa J. Anderson

A new study [PDF] released by the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) and McKinsey and Co. reveals the growing importance of company leadership in corporate-social progress, given current trends and uncertainties, and where they appear to be heading in the next decade.

According to Margaret Coady, Director of CECP, “This report provides today’s business leaders with an urgent vision of what business could look like in the next decade.” She explained, “By going beyond historic levels and models of corporate community involvement, the zero-sum tension faced by corporate executives of increasing shareholder returns and doing the right thing for society can be dissolved.”

The study, “Shaping the Future: Solving Social Problems through Business Strategy,” highlights five current trends expected to influence global corporate and social relations over the course of the next ten years: The Great Rebalancing (shifting centers of economic activity), The Productivity Imperative (talent shortages), The Global Grid (new levels of technological interconnectivity), Pricing the Planet (increased scarcity of natural resources), and The Market State (a new era of government action).

The research also highlights two points of uncertainty expected to frame corporate-social conversation and collaboration as we move into the future: first, a climate of mistrust toward corporations, and secondly, the responsibility public corporate leadership has toward shareholders to deliver the highest possible returns to investors.

Taken together, the researchers claim, these trends and uncertainties lead to four potential outcomes regarding the progress corporations can make in the social/philanthropic realm.

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

In 2004, the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition was founded by leading technology companies to “promote a common code of conduct for the electronics, and information and communications technology (ICT) industry.” The EICC’s main focus is corporate responsibility within the supply chain. According to the website, “together, EICC members are working to improve environmental and worker conditions.”

The EICC has more than 40 corporate members, including the biggest names in the tech industry. Here are how three EICC members are approaching corporate responsibility in their supply chains.

HP: Transparency and Advocacy

HP, ranked #1 this year on Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens list, provides a transparent view of its efforts to address issues within its supply chain – providing numbers, goals, and strategy within its FY09 Global Citizenship Report.

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By Tina Vasquez (Los Angeles)

In the 1960’s, Detroit, MI was an interesting place to live. It was during this time that Motown Records emerged, forever tying the city to the soulful sounds of Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, and Smoky Robinson – just to name a few. There was also the burgeoning automobile industry and The Detroit Riot of 1967, but despite all of this change, things remained rather traditional in the home of Anne McCarthy, current Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs for Western Union – traditional, though not boring or by any means quiet.

McCarthy grew up in a large Irish Catholic household that extended out to her neighborhood. She had 11 siblings and, according to her, everyone on her block either had two kids or ten, but at her Catholic school “if you didn’t have at least eight, we thought there was something wrong!” Her U.S. Marine-trained father father was definitely the disciplinarian, while her mother Cay – jokingly nicknamed “Chaos” by her father – allowed her children more flexibility.

In Detroit, McCarthy’s father had a growing consulting business and was able to send his kids to a college of their choice, though McCarthy was unsure of the path she would take. Thankfully, an emerging interest in writing forged a path that would eventually lead to her position at Western Union.

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

We’ve discussed here how CSR is a great way to build employee engagement, as well as your company’s brand – on top of doing something good for society in general. But, as Tracey Keys, Thomas W. Malnight, and Kees van der Graaf explained in a recent McKinsey Quarterly article, it’s not as simple as creating a project – and then poof – employees are engaged and brands are boosted while society benefits.

What happens when employees see CSR initiatives as little more than a boardroom pet project?
Or, what happens when CSR efforts are seen as mere propaganda or marketing, and end up actually harming your brand?

It actually takes some serious effort and planning to make sure each piece falls into place. How do you tie everything into a meaningful CSR program? Keys, Malnight, and van der Graaf believe the answer is “smart partnering.” They explain, “Smart partnering focuses on key areas of impact between business and society and develops creative solutions that draw on the complementary capabilities of both to address major challenges that affect each partner.”

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By Janet Stocks (New York City)

According to Cone, a leading strategy and communications agency, “Today, a company that directs its unique assets to have a significant and sustainable impact on society will strengthen reputation, employee morale and stakeholder loyalty in an engaging and authentic way.”

The 2008 Cone Study, Past. Present. Future. The 25th Anniversary of Cause Marketing, conducted in conjunction with the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, suggests that “The causes that companies choose to support often reflect national and international economic pressures and events.”

Unanimous global support for the Haitian Earthquake Relief efforts confirm the power of cause marketing in corporate teambuilding and fundraising. By harnessing the power of large workforces, corporations are “proving more nimble at addressing issues, such as natural disasters, than the government agencies or nonprofit organizations designed to manage the task.”

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By Melissa J. Anderson (New York City)

In the past few weeks, a flurry of stories has been released revealing that employees are the least satisfied they’ve been with their jobs in decades. In fact, according to a report released today by The Conference Board, “only 45 percent of those surveyed say they are satisfied with their jobs, down from 61.1 percent in 1987, the first year in which the survey was conducted.”

One might think that with the US unemployment rate around 10%, and even higher in metropolitan areas, today’s employees would be happy just to have a job; however, according to Lynn Franco, director of the Consumer Research Center of The Conference Board, “Through both economic boom and bust during the past two decades, our job satisfaction numbers have shown a consistent downward trend.”

Franco and the other report authors, Linda Barrington and John Gibbons, say that job satisfaction is down in all age groups. Barrington warns, “The growing dissatisfaction across and between generations is important to address because it can directly impact the quality of multi-generational knowledge transfer – which is increasingly critical to effective workplace functioning.”

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By Jacqueline Libster (New York City)

Engaging more than 80,000 employees spread out over 300 different facilities around the globe is the challenge that Suzanne Fallender, Director of Corporate Social Responsiblity Strategy and Communications at Intel faces every day. Luckily, Intel has 40 years of experience as one of the leading companies in its efforts to advance environmental sustainability and to create a better workplace.

Intel has been recognized countless times as a great place to work. It has garnered many awards and recognitions to prove it: World’s Most Innovative Companies, Most Admired Companies, Ethical Companies, Best Diversity Programs, Best Places to Launch a Career and the list goes on. How does a company like Intel improve itself year after year?

Intel’s solution is innovation. The company is constantly finding new ways to harness the power and spirit of its employees to propel its CSR efforts forward.

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