Top >> Opinion__Comment OPINION: Asian Tsunami and Earthquake tests CSR approaches By Grant Common Editor published February-March 2005 Grant has 30 years direct experience in public relations and communication in Australia and New Zealand - as well as directing and managing programs in the UK and USA. He has consulted to Governments, publicly listed companies, industry bodies, marketing organisations, multinationals and not-for-profit organisations. He is Managing Director of Sydney-based Network PR and as a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (having completed the Company Directors Diploma examination) he is also one of the few PR practitioners to have the perspective of the company director. Welcome to our first issue for 2005.  When we ran an article on Corporate Social Responsibility in our last issue little did we think that within weeks Australian business would face its biggest test on CSR.  But that’s what the tsunami tragedy did. So how did Australian business perform? 1. For contributions made - 10 out of 10 Many Australian companies, and leading business figures, made very significant contributions to help those stricken. Furthermore, the Australian corporate community received many accolades - even from those who in the past have been critical about the perceived lack of support shown by Australian businesses to the community. 2. For tone and behaviour - 8 of 10 Most organisations handled it well, and many with the utmost discretion. But a few looked as if they saw their contributions as a way to obtain some free publicity and their efforts were not entirely in keeping with the spirit of the times. That’s not what CSR is about! Internationally, and especially in the US, attention is now turning to what motivated companies to respond. Were they genuine in wanting to help? Were they just carried along with the momentum? Did some just see this as an opportunity to ‘score some points’ with key stakeholders? The first insight has emerged in a survey of the employees of Fortune 500 companies in the US by Hill & Knowlton where it seems employees were not totally convinced by the efforts of those companies that gave funds to the tsunami appeal: 89% of respondents from companies that gave money were pleased that their companies had done something and 65% said their company’s motivation was driven by management’s desire to help; however, 35% of employees had misgivings - 19% felt the motivation to give was driven by fear of being viewed by the public as not having done anything and 16% believed that employees had motivated their management to do something regarding the tsunami. It would be interesting to do a similar survey among those companies that donated to the tsunami appeal in Australia. The purest would argue that the tsunami appeal wasn’t really an example of CSR.  But who cares?  At least it’s put the topic of corporate giving on the agenda of many Australian companies.

PR Influences Australian Public Relations Newsletter. Article: Image & Reputation: Corporate Social Responsibility Tested by Tsunami. Information Content: Opinion & Comment