Business Analyst - June 2

Thursday, June 2, 2022
CSR Game-changers
– Creating a meaningful
difference
“We can change the
world and make it a
better place. It is in your
hands to make a
difference.” — Nelson
Mandela, Former South
African President,
freedom fighter, and
philanthropist
IT’S time to talk about the
crème de la crème, the
best in class, the
businesses that hands
down lead the way when
it comes to making a meaningful
difference in their workplace and
society at large. These companies
are creating a shift in how
Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) was perceived and done in
the past to transition CSR as a
value-adding approach. The gamechangers.
These are the new breed of
businesses that can balance
making healthy profits while at
the same instance meeting
societal needs and acting as forces
for good in their communities.
Today, CSR in business practice
has elevated well surpassed just
philanthropy, as known in the
past.
These game-changer businesses are
making meaningful progress and
contributions, whether in the workplace
or in society, and they are not afraid to
make bold changes. These businesses
have a socially conscious business model
that is both financially savvy and
environmentally friendly. They use their
strong business sense to find solutions
for social issues, combat climate change
and promote employee wellness, to
mention but a few differences that they
make.
Game-changers in action
Let’s look at a few
companies excelling at
practicing what they are
preaching. These game-changer
companies embrace change and
never feel pressured to innovate
since these characteristics are
at their core. After all, these
businesses are committed to
making the world a better place
and making a difference. First,
let’s look at IBM. The company’s
mission is to innovate, but this
innovation can be social and
technological. In the 1990s, they
saw a chance to innovate in
education and develop the
technology needed. So, IBM
began a partnership with K-12
public schools to help them
tackle some of their everyday
problems. For instance, the
collaboration produced a Watch-Me!-
Read software to help children improve
their reading.
Another game-changer is Procter &
Gamble (P&G), a prominent global
leader in consumer products. They
provide an excellent example of how
making a social impact and
considering the environment are
central to profits. however, there were
years when the P&G branch in Brazil,
which specialized in the company’s
feminine hygiene products, was only
earning small revenues. however, they
had a pretty good idea of fixing this
problem. They had their main product,
“the Always” brand of panty liners, all
they needed to do was devise a way to
cut production costs while
simultaneously increasing output. A
daunting but achievable task.
To achieve this task, P&G
Brazil began a collaboration
process across all its internal
stakeholders, departments and invited
input from its external partners, such
as their trade partners and advertising
agencies. Collectively, they came up with
an innovative idea. The packaging would
be transparent with colorful wrapping
inside. By eliminating the outer
packaging, they significantly reduced the
cost of ink per package, and for sure,
within a year, the product was earning
far greater profits.
Take an example from the printing
industry with Xerox. Xerox is another
game-changer worth deliberating on. The
printing giant excels in its business and
commitment to creating a more
“The company’s
mission is to innovate,
but this innovation
can be social and
technological. In the
1990s, they saw a
chance to innovate in
education and develop
the technology
needed. So, IBM
began a partnership
with K-12 public
schools to help them
tackle some of their
everyday problems.
For instance, the
collaboration
produced a Watch-
Me!-read software to
help children improve
their reading.
sustainable world. In 2018, Xerox was
named One of the World’s Most ethical
Companies for the 12th consecutive time.
Xerox was also included in America’s
most JUST companies for two years in a
row. With such credentials, it is no doubt
that Xerox emphasizes its Corporate
Social Responsibility initiatives.
According to the 2019 CSR report,
“Design for Sustainability” has always
been one of their main goals as they
recognize the environmental, social, and
economic impacts caused by their
products. Therefore, they have invested
heavily in research and development to
design more sustainable products and
minimize the use of hazardous materials.
As part of their zero-waste initiative, they
have developed “a comprehensive end-oflife
product recall system” that identifies
the elements of a product that can be
remanufactured, refurbished, recycled,
reused, and resold. This facilitates
multiple product life cycles as their
materials can be used continuously
repeatedly, minimizing waste that
contributes to landfills.
Consider, for instance, Levi Strauss &
Co. Levi Strauss & Co. made denim jeans a
universal piece of clothing, and they are
on their way to making water
conservation a universal process in the
manufacturing industry. numerous
organizations treat the problem caused
by their products as part of their CSR
initiatives because they are obliged. Still,
Levi Strauss & Co. believes in prevention
and is putting mechanisms and
strategies in place to ensure that water as
a scarce commodity is a priority. A case in
point is they started researching and
assessing their products’ impact on the