THE “BIG ISSUE” – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

As if often the case with most recruitment and sales based organisations running towards the final Friday of the quarter can see a usual set of trends occurring. That last minute rush to get sales or deals across the line, reflection of what could have been done better and then the inevitable looking forward to the pending quarter.

Its pretty standard practice but we like to come together as a team and catch up over a bite to eat and connect as a group. However, this quarter I was keen to participate in an event, which had a higher social purpose and add credence to the pursuit of corporate responsibility.

I was fortunate enough to be put in touch with the Big Issue whom host a number of corporate workshops to highlight the good work that they do. We went down to their HQ in Redfern to spend some time with the operations team and also to meet an individual affected by homelessness. Having spent a couple of hours and listening to some genuinely moving stories we all left acknowledging that as a business we need to be sincere about the pursuit of corporate responsibility.

At its heart, Corporate Social Responsibility is about an organisation taking responsibility for the impacts of its decisions and activities on all aspects of society, the community and the environment. Corporate Social Responsibility is more than just donating money or printing double-sided to save trees, it’s about contributing to the health and welfare of society, operating transparently and ethically. More importantly, this way of operating should be embedded in the business, rather than an afterthought.

Providing employees with the opportunity to be involved in a company’s socially responsible activities can have the benefit of teaching new skills to staff, which can in turn be applied in the workplace. By undertaking activities outside of their usual work responsibilities, employees have the chance to contribute to work and causes that they might feel passionate about, or learn something entirely new which can help enrich their own perspectives. By supporting these activities, organisations encourage growth and support for employees.

Aswell as actually “doing the right thing” supporting social causes can actually aid an organisations position in the marketplace. Showing the world that your business is ready to give back to the community is an effective way to build favourable brand relations. Contributing to a successful and well-organised volunteer program is a great way to raise your profile, improve your business’s reputation or help maintain a good reputation in the face of adversity by demonstrating your commitment to worthy causes.

Therefore it appears that truly engaging in corporate responsibility cannot only benefit the purpose you support but also individuals and entity of the supporting organisation. Moving forward at The Acquire Group we are committed to continuing to support The Big Issue and ensuring that giving back become part of our DNA.