Corporate Social Responsibility Jobs

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A surge in interest with regards to the environment by many corporations, has seen the creation of many new career and business opportunities particularly in the field of corporate social responsibility jobs.

“New careers emerge from going green” found on Canada.com, talks about the increasing need to monitor, measure and report on environmental factors as having led to new roles in the discipline of accounting.

The article also discusses the advantages a company undertaking corporate social responsibility initiatives can have in terms of attracting staff to the organization:
“When (young recruits) are assessing their choices as to what type of organization they want to be associated with, the entire (CSR) and green aspects are definitely things they ask us about,” says Mario Paron.

The entire article by Derek Sankey can be read here : New careers emerge from going green.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Corporate Social Responsibility Jobs, CSR Jobs, environment

The Seeing is Believing program run by the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) is a great program recently reported on in the Canadian Globe & Mail newspaper here: Sowing the seeds of corporate compassion.

Seeing is Believing encourages businesses to engage in corporate social responsibility and philanthropy in a way that is beyond just donating money.  They take business executives on tours of community organizations, and also introduce the executives to people that are end beneficiaries of the community services.  Through the tours, executives get to see real world examples of how lives have been changed due to the community services offered, and encourages them to envision how day-to-day activities of their own respective businesses can result in real social change.

For example, one of the goals of the program is to align participating businesses procurement strategies so that they support local organizations.  An example given in the newspaper article is that of Electronic Arts, a company that anyone familiar with computer games would know, think Need for Speed, FIFA Soccer, NBA Live, etc, etc.  After taking part in a Seeing is Believing tour the company now utilises the services of a cafe visited for its catering needs.

In addition, Electronic Arts came to understand that computers and software the company no longer needed could be given to community programs that helped kids with self-esteem issues.  But instead of just leaving it there, Electronic Arts also extend the benefit further by  allowing employees that would like to help teach kids how to use the computers and software paid time off during the working week.
According to the Globe & Mail report, Seeing is Believing in Canada “…has taken more than 100 executives to visit 25 community groups.”

The program is modelled on one called The Prince’s Seeing is Believing in the UK that was started by HRH The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) in 1990.  According to the UK programs website “more than 6000 business leaders have participated in more than 450 visits.”

More information can be found on the Canadian Business for Social Responsibility (CBSR) website under Seeing is Believing Program

More information on the original program in the UK can be found on the Business in the Community website under the The Prince’s Seeing is Believing section.

Technorati Tags: Canada, Corporate Social Responsibility Jobs, CSR, Seeing is Believing, UK