Strategic CSR for Sustainable Events

In 2006, some really smart people from Harvard wrote an article called Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility. The idea it had was that CSR (corporate social responsibility), when linked to core business objectives, brought shared value to both the corporation and to society at large. The meetings and events industry is starting to embrace the whole idea of CSR, but it struggling with how to make it relevant, and, in some cases, how to make it pay.

"Selling" CSR is the wrong way to look at it, although some organizations might make the mistake of thinking that telling people about, and not actually implementing it, it is enough. Those are possibly the same organizations who confuse marketing/communications with the implementation of strategy, or worse, with strategy itself. The pay-off comes when an organization looks at its strategy and at its unique position, and marries these with its CSR strategy. Then the pay-off becomes noticeable in operational efficiency, in better customer attraction and retention, and in the creation of goodwill in the community.

For example, look at FedEx. It was experiencing problems in many developing areas of the world, problems that were impacting its profitability, such as congestion in major cities, safety of its drivers, and loss of competitiveness. It then created a partnership with the National Network for Sustainable Urban Mobility in Mexico, the purpose being to develop sustainable transportation projects designed to improve mobility and safety. It also helps to cut down on smog and other pollution, and so has an environmental, social and economic impact. This is an example of strategic CSR in action -- it benefits the business AND the community.

Meetings and events are major communications vehicles for organizations, and are thus perfectly placed to implement strategic CSR initiatives. As meeting professionals, start the process by:

1. What is the mission of your organization/client?
2. What unique service does it offer?
3. What are the points of intersection between the organization and the community?
4. What specific actions can you take at your event where your unique skills meet the needs of the community and make both more sustainable?

One of the best examples of this intersection of events and the community I found when trolling the web is that of the American Mortgage Bankers Association. They created events where they partnered with Habitat for Humanity, since the mission for both organizations revolved around affordable housing.

Sustainable events are bigger than just making your meeting "green". They are powerful tools to visibly implement CSR strategy and make both your organization and the community more sustainable.