CSR: From Jargon to Meaning

Our CSR journey began back in 2008 when our humble Charity Committee was transformed into a CSR agenda/committee. Throughout this time the CSR agenda fluctuated in line with our leadership’s commitment. My own role in driving CSR tilted from leadership to just shouting from the sidelines.

Last week though we reached a crucial milestone on our journey. The CSR strategy (developed by our CSR Manager Marie Broad) was approved by the Main Board. It may sound like an exaggeration to say it’s taken five years to go from CSR as a concept to having a full strategy – but it’s true!

Now we have the daunting and exciting challenge of turning these words on paper into a real living programme. Our small Brand, Culture and Comms team has two advantages though: focus and the zeitgeist of social priorities. You see our corp brand strategy  “Recognising and Developing Talent” will benefit all stakeholders. We will use our skills as recruitment experts to benefit our: staff, communities and clients.  Central to achieving this is our ambitious volunteering programme aimed at helping NEETS (not in employment, education, training or school). The need for our skills is immense, the depressing stat that 16% of our youths are NEETS coupled with the poor service Job Centre Plus is giving means we’ll be busy.

We are offering all members of staff two day’s worth of volunteering, either time to help people find work through employability workshops or provide skills to NGOs who are supporting NEETS, e.g. our team will help charities and NGOs with marketing and communication.

Our secondary plank is diversity and inclusion which has now been given extra emphasis because our Deputy CEO is of mixed race;  always useful to have the future CEO backing your CSR plans. More about this in future posts.

Now what’s in for SThree, we are after all a business not a charity. We firmly believe our CSR strategy will build our employer brand because the volunteering is something our colleagues will gain personal fulfillment from. For a taste of the future please see this blog from Circle Sports on the back of one of our first workshops.