Effective CSR Campaigns And The Role Of Public Relations
India`s new Companies Act 2013 has introduced numerous new provisions which is slowly and
steadily changing the face of Indian corporate business. One of the important
provisions is Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Corporate social
responsibility also known as
corporate citizenship, corporate conscience, or responsible business is a form
of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model. Ministry of
Corporate Affairs has recently notified Section 135 and Schedule VII of the
Companies Act as well as the provisions of the Companies (Corporate Social
Responsibility Policy) Rules, 2014 which has come into effect
from 1 April 2014. Every
company, private limited or public limited, which either has net profit of Rs 5
crore, a net worth of Rs 500 crore or a turnover of Rs 1,000 crore , needs to
spend at least 2% of its average net profit for the immediately previous three
financial years on corporate social responsibility activities.
Once perceived as a peripheral to companies’ main
businesses, CSR is now becoming standard practice. However if companies fails
to communicate their CSR achievements wisely, they risk being accused of
‘greenwashing’. Public Relations can have a significant role in communicating
the CSR achievements to the world and also to the company’s stakeholders in an
apt way. Public Relations is the vehicle that enlightens and shares with the
world the progress made by companies, or what the world may not know about them
who are successfully embracing the integrated and strategic nature of CSR.
Corporate Social Responsibility is all about smart
business actions and constant improvement while building integrity. PR report
these actions and events as they occur. The danger is only when the showcasing
precedes the actual work. Therefore communicating your CSR achievements and
initiatives should be balanced and well planned for a successful business
model.
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