S
ocial purpose: it's
a trend and a term
on many lips these
days–but some
local businesses
are struggling to catch on.
"Social purpose is taking
corporate social responsibility
(
CSR) to a completely new level,"
says Mary Ellen Schaafsma,
director of social innovation and
research with United Way of the
Lower Mainland, which recently
hosted a workshop on the topic.
Where
CSR advocates philan-
thropy as a means of giving
back, boosting corporate image
and bolstering profits, this new
iteration places social good at
the very core of a business.
"A company's reason for
being can no longer be its prod-
uct and services—rather it must
leverage its products and services
as a mechanism to create social
good. This in turn creates a
model of sustainability for the
business, because society sees
the business contributing to the
community," says Schaafsma.
She adds: "Traditional
CSR has
done a lot of good; it's just not
enough any more."
Why? Partly a shift in atti-
tudes and expectations among
customers and employees,
especially millennials. "They're
not just looking for a job and
paycheque—they're looking
for purpose in their work,"
says Schaafsma. "If companies
embrace true social purpose,
they will find it easier to find
top-notch employees and retain
customers."
Some local companies are
well on their way. Schaafsma
points to local social leaders
such as Vancity Credit Union
and Mountain Equipment
Co-op, which embody their
social purposes of community
development and outdoor activ-
ity, respectively, in all pursuits.
Other businesses aren't sure
where to begin, but are "thirsty"
for guidance, says Schaafsma.
Enter United Way, a social
leader in its own right—and
one uniquely positioned to play
matchmaker, thanks to its exist-
ing relationships in the corporate
world, government, social agen-
cies and unions.
"This isn't just about busi-
nesses on their own adopting
social purpose," says Schaafsma.
"This is about coming to the
table with all the other players to
tackle the root causes of social
issues, and creating long-term
solutions."
+ UNITED WAY OF THE LOWER MAINLAND
Corporate Social
Responsibility Reimagined
While it's valuable to implement philanthropic initiatives into your corporate culture,
building social purpose into every aspect of your business is how real impact is made
United Way of the Lower Mainland con-
vened a one-day educational workshop
to teach business leaders how they can
advance social purpose in their companies
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