responsibility have
outperformed the
general stock market
by 25 percent since
August 2005. Similar
to diversity, however,
an effective, long-term
CSR plan requires a
serious commitment.
“If you think it’s a
peripheral side issue
to your business,
your competitors
will seize the opportunity—and you will
be playing catch-up
forever,” warns Christine Arena, a corporate strategist
and author of The High-Purpose Company.
Christine Arena,
Corporate Strategist and Author
STRATEGIC SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
According to Giving USA, corporate and corporate
foundation giving reached $12.72 billion last year.
Companies clearly understand that their efforts play a
larger role in the future of society. But businesses can
no longer assume that donations alone will sustain a
positive reputation.
CARLSON SUPPORTS
CHILDREN AT RISK
People have now come to expect corporate
America to get involved in non-financial ways as
well. That’s why a growing number of companies
are including their most valuable asset—their human
capital—to reach out to the communities where they
do business and to strategically tie their brands to
everything from fighting AIDS to finding a cure for
breast cancer to feeding the homeless.
There’s also a recognizable gap between companies
that merely pay lip service to CSR and those that have
effectively implemented programs from the top down.
The most successful programs reflect the core values
and traditions of the company. And the smartest
companies “are choosing issues that are important
to their business and where they have the expertise
to make a difference,” says Mark R. Kramer, a senior
fellow at Harvard University. For example, a global
leader in express and logistics services has formed
a network of volunteers around the world who,
following major natural disasters, quickly deliver much-needed supplies to victims.
Companies that have best-in-class programs also
integrate their plans across their businesses. A well-thoughtout program begins internally, is tied to human
resources (in addition to marketing, communications,
finance and other departments) and then extends
Women’s issues and support for the environment are an inherent part of the culture of Carlson. Children at risk, however, hold a special
place. “At Carlson, we understand that children
are our most-precious resource,” says Kim Olson, chief communications officer. “They are the
future leaders and employees of our company.”
In 1999, the company joined with Queen Silvia of Sweden and other international corporate
leaders to found the World Childhood Foundation, which supports more than 100 programs
in 14 countries, working on behalf of the most-vulnerable children worldwide.
Recently, Carlson became the first and only
large American corporate signatory to UNICEF’s
ECPAT Code (End Child Prostitution, Child
Pornography and Trafficking of Children), which
requires signatories to add clauses to supplier
contracts prohibiting the exploitation of children
and to raise awareness about the issue among
customers and employees. Marilyn Carlson Nelson (shown signing), chair and CEO, has personally
championed the cause with heads of state, major
corporations and industry trade associations.
That focus extends across Carlson’s business
units, including Carlson Hotels Worldwide. In
support of ECPAT, for instance, Carlson developed the hotel industry’s first comprehensive
training program to fight child prostitution. The
program was piloted in Radisson hotels located
in problem countries. “Being a good corporate
citizen is simply good business,” says Tom Pol-
ski, vice president of global communications for
the hotel group. “And giving back is essential
to recruiting talent plus attracting and retaining
customers.”
In Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Carlson’s hotel brands are at the forefront of developing environmental sustainability programs as
part of the Responsible Business program of its
partner company, Rezidor Hotel Group. These
programs are planned for expansion in the U.S.
and globally in the coming year. “By endorsing
sustainable tourism, we are creating jobs and
empowering individuals,” explains Olson. “And
by improving the lives of children around the
world, we are affecting change for families and
communities.”
