Companies shifting from CSR to Community building
Before delving into the debate of whether companies are shifting or not, let’s understand both the terms through examples.
What is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)?
In most simple words, the target of the company through CSR should be to remain sustainable in the future and to make profits without harming the environment (or minimizing as much as it is possible), complying with the societal expectations and remain financially protected.
Companies generally cooperate with their stakeholders to uphold this agenda. In this way, they keep building the trust of their shareholders as well as stakeholders. One might feel that CSR is similar to charity or philanthropy, but no, it’s not. Donating an enormous amount of money to an old-age-home, or an orphanage or girl-education is charity but, coming to CSR, it doesn’t end here. CSR will involve continuing that service along with the help of its employees’ participation, getting donations from the stakeholders, and building the culture big. It not only gets them bulk involvement from the people but also great publicity, ultimately resulting in desirable profits.
What is Community Building?
As the name suggests, building relationships with people of different cultures but from the same region (maybe the same neighborhood) and having common interests, driven towards the enhancement of the community as a whole. This community development enhances the personal relations and social life of the members. It is the responsibility of the leader to keep every follower engaging in the community.
In this hustling life, the community does not allow oneself to seclude herself into isolation, also keeping depression away. One gets to be a part of activity through which (s)he opens up to new people and, PR grows.
Now, finally, the question arrives, are companies shifting?
If yes, then why and are there any big players in that bunch in the market? And, if not, again, why?
What if I tell you that these communities have always been present in the companies, it’s just that now the companies have started to put more effort into building & development of them. Well, yes, your workplace with your colleagues is a community only. But in the corporate rat race, everyone has adopted individualism, striving for leadership rather than management. Teamwork, these days is just present on your CV’s soft skills’ section, but in reality, there is only “me work”!
The community culture of Pixar was depicted in “How Pixar Fosters Collective Creativity,” a September 2008 article in HBR by Ed Catmull, the president of Pixar attributed the success of the studio’s films to its “vibrant community where talented people are loyal to one another and their collective work, everyone feels that they are part of something extraordinary, and their passion and accomplishments make the community a magnet for talented people coming out of schools or working at other places.”
As far as young CEOs are concerned, they are more aware of the community culture and give it the utmost preference. They know that a company can grow with full energy and be like a family only when the hierarchical politics stay away.
But, in this self-centered world, we have disregarded communities in companies like anything and have kept the competition alive, among ourselves. I do not say that competition is not important, of course, it’s important, very much but community building is as important too.
Companies do not need to shift to community building. They need to adopt community building in their work lives and, alongside CSR can be continued. They already have communities, they have to be just active now!
Contributed By- Gaurangi Agrawal, Content Writer @ Mitti Ke Rang
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