In Search of a CSR Roadmap?

If corporate social responsibility (CSR) is one of your responsibilities, you might pine for guidance in this rapidly evolving business function. You might have questions like, “What foundational principles do I use to make decisions?” or “What policies or programs should I consider?” or “What’s a reasonable target for employee participation in volunteer activities?”

Good news! Our partner organization, Points of Light, asked an esteemed group of CSR experts these questions. Their responses led to The Civic 50 framework, which is reviewed annually and updated as needed. Both The Civic 50 Colorado award program and its national counterpart, The Civic 50 US, are based on the framework. Therefore, in addition to having access to conceptual guidance through the framework, you also have access to performance metrics of US and Colorado award-winning CSR programs on the framework.

So, what does the Civic 50 framework suggest? At a high level, it specifies that strong CSR program have four dimensions:

1. Investment. How extensively and strategically the company applies its resources to community engagement, including employee time and skills, cash, in-kind giving, and leadership.
   
2. Integration. How the company’s community engagement program supports business interests and integrates into business functions, or how it “does well by doing good.” This includes leveraging the CSR program to boost employee engagement and brand marketing, for example.
   
3. Institutionalization. How the company supports community engagement through its institutional policies, systems and incentives, including volunteer time off policies, matching gift grants and board service training.
   
4. Impact. How the company measures the social and business impact of its community engagement program. This includes tracking if the community and the business are better off because of the CSR program.

To dive deeper into these dimensions and the associated metrics from state and national Civic 50 honorees, download the full Civic 50 Colorado 2021 report. You might also wasn’t to sign up for The Civic 50 Colorado mailing list.