Corporate Social Responsibility, or CSR for short, is a form of business self-regulation that aims to have a positive impact on society. From protecting the environment to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, treating employees with respect, giving back to the community and basing all commercial decisions on ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility comes in all shapes and sizes. Are you keen to find out more about CSR? You're in the right place, keep reading.
Over the years, Corporate Social Responsibility has evolved from voluntary actions taken at the company level to mandatory schemes at regional, national and international levels. That said, many companies choose to go beyond the legal requirements, incorporating the idea of “doing good” into their commercial model.
There is no one way to adopt Corporate Social Responsibility into your business. But one thing is for sure: for the actions to be perceived as genuine, they must be aligned with company culture and commercial operations. Employees and customers are increasingly aware of societal issues, and value working for and spending their money at companies that prioritise CSR. Hypocrisy is easy to spot and has a negative impact on the company's reputation.
To make your CSR authentic, you must first analyse your values, mission and issues to determine which sort of initiatives are best aligned with your company's goals and culture.
Why CSR matters
There are plenty of reasons why you should adopt CSR into your business. Here are just a few:
1. Improve customers’ perception of your brand
It is increasingly important for companies to be seen to be doing social good. Customers, employees and others prioritise CSR when choosing which brand or company to go for.
2. Attract and retain employees
Consumers aren't the only people attracted by companies giving back: employees are increasingly looking to identify with the values of the company they work for. It is proven that workers that share the company’s values and identify with their CSR mission have a much greater likelihood of staying with them.
3. Make yourself more attractive to investors
When they present a well conceived CSR programme and initiative, companies automatically become more attractive to investors. Just like customers, investors are holding businesses accountable in terms of their social responsibility.
Some examples of CSR in the tourist sector
Most businesses operating in the tourist industry – whether they be transport companies, hotels or event providers – have Corporate Social Responsibility policies in place nowadays. A good example are Paradores de Turismo. Run by a public company, this hotel chain is active when it comes to CRS, running on-brand initiatives involving human resources, the company’s impact on the environment and natural resources, their relationship with the local community and more.
Iberia is another good example. Since 1994, the public airline has been publishing a Sustainability Report detailing all the environmental and social responsibility actions it has carried out.
And what about us? Tasked with promoting tourism in the province of Malaga, Turismo Costa del Sol has always supported social responsibility, both in its internal strategy - with quality (ISO 9001), environmental (ISO 9001) and health and safety (OHSAS 18001) certificates - and external strategy, running a number of CSR projects.
Reducing carbon footprint and energy consumption, taking part in initiatives to preserve wildlife, promoting volunteering and charity work, supporting local communities, improving work policies, guaranteeing diversity and equality in the workplace and investing in non-profits are just some examples of things that companies can do to boost their Corporate Social Responsibility. But remember, your actions must be authentic and in line with your brand’s corporate values. So how about it? Start integrating CSR into your business now.
