Course Code: MGT-304

Course Title: Corporate Social Responsibility

Lecture / Week No. 15

Department of Accounts
Uses of Social Media, Films and Reports /Movie clip
Contents

1. Using Social Media for CSR Theory

2. Social Media & CSR

3. 5 Tips for Leveraging Social Media

4. How CSR + Social Media ?

5. CSR communication works best on social media?

6. Report through video

7. Short film of CSR

 Reference No.1 Topic: Using Social Media for CSR Theory

Using Social Media for CSR

Using Social Media for Communication Jahdi and Acikdilli (2009) hold that CSR communication tools play an
important role in conveying a companies CSR message and socially responsible image.

Unlike corporate ability related information such as product superiority and new innovations, a company’s CSR
information reveals aspects of its corporate identity that are not only fundamental and enduring, but also often
more distinctive by virtue of their culture traits: mision, vision and values.

A key challenge in designing effective CSR communication strategy is how engage to stakeholders, in order to
reduce their skepticism and to convey favorable corporate motives in a company’s CSR activities.

Recent research on CSR attributions suggest that, the stakeholder engagement in corporate social responsibility
(CSR) activities let companies build a strong corporate brand image, and stregthen stakeholder–company
relationships, and enhance stakeholders’ advocacy behavior. And for that an effective communication of CSR
actions to stakeholders, not only increase their level of credibility and involvement with the company, but also,
turn them into company's apostle on social media
 Reference No.1 Topic: Using Social Media for CSR

On the stakeholders’ side, the Internet has become an essential tool for different stakeholders in their decision-making
processes (Law et al, 2009), allowing them to search for information on companies activities (commercial and
commercials), and evaluate them.

On the companies’ perspective, the Internet has become a great factor in the development and success, due that it reduces
cost, enhances operational efficiency and improve both service quality and consumer experience.

More recently, the emergence of Web 2.0 has revolutionized the use of the Internet as communication channel for
companies and their audiences. The term of Web 2.0 includes a wide range of electronic applications (eg. Social networks,
wikis, blogs and photo and video sharing platforms) that facilitate interactions among companies and stakeholders.
Reference No.1 Topic: Using Social Media for CSR

The impact of these applications, also called “social media” has been especially significant in CSR communication,
given the social dimension of the Coopeland and Malik (2005) show that new technology enables connectivity and
interactivity of individuals and groups, as well as facilitates the spread of word-of-mouth information sharing.

As a consequence, technology becomes a tool that allows individuals to express themselves and collaborate with
others. In this situation, people can create new ideas, entertain and consume them. Kotler et al. (2010)

In particular, these authors classify social media in two broad categories:

(a) the expressive social media, which includes blogs, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and photo sharing sites like Flickr;
(b) (b) collaborative media, which includes sites such as Wikipedia and Craigslist.

For companies, social media applications have changed the way to design and implement corporate communication
strategies, and therefore, the future of business. It is low-cost and bias-free, so that companies are using it to gain
insights into the market, collaborate with their consumers, or design marketing communications
Reference No.2 Topic: Social Media & CSR

Social Media and Corporate Social Responsibility

every company approaches their CSR efforts differently, it’s clear that social media plays an important
role in the success of these well-intended initiatives.
As a business, it’s time that you consider the role of social media and how it can help you grow your CSR
footprint.
While some would argue that CSR shouldn’t be looked at in terms of PR and marketing, the reality is that
every business embarks on CSR initiatives with the goal of improving brand image. To say otherwise would
be foolish.
Today, that means social media and CSR are intertwined. If a business wants to become involved with an
issue, it needs to leverage social media. You can see how large corporations like Molson Coors, Tyson Foods,
and Haagen-Dazs have achieved this.
But most brands don’t properly utilize the connection between CSR and social media. For example, Chevron
has been involved in a fantastic initiative where it sells millions of gallons of wastewater to farmers in
California’s drought regions. This is a wonderful program, yet you wouldn’t know anything about it if you
logged on to Chevron’s social profiles. It’s a missed opportunity to casually raise consumer awareness.
Reference No.2 Topic: Social Media and CSR

5 Tips for Leveraging Social Media

As a business owner, marketer, or social media manager, you should be thinking about how your business can
maximize its CSR efforts by effectively leveraging social media. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

1. Engage in two-way communication

The value of social media is maximized when brands invest in two-way communication. By engaging with your
followers, you can spark conversation and show people that you genuinely care about the issues your brand is
backing.

2. Ask questions and listen

One aspect of social engagement that you must learn to master is the art of asking and listening. Too often, businesses
make the mistake of filling their newsfeeds with endless streams of content, without ever taking the time to listen.
You’ll learn a lot about your followers by simply hearing what they have to say about your CSR efforts.
Reference No.2 Topic: Social media and CSR

3. Respond to comments
Nothing is more frustrating for a social media user than to engage with a brand and never hear from them. It
makes the customer feel like the brand is above them. As we’ve stressed thus far, social media is a two-way
street. A CSR initiative is only successful if the brand is willing to interact.

4. Be authentic and original

“It’s a mistake for companies to think that they cannot tell the truth and hide anything they do,” 
says entrepreneur Jeffery Hollender. “Whether it’s a customer, or an employee, or a reporter, someone will
disclose a corporation’s dirty little secrets.” There’s no room for dishonesty or a lack of transparency on
social. If you’re going to launch a CSR initiative, you must be willing to open up.
 Reference No.2 Topic: Social Media and CSR

5. Never pat yourself on the back

The challenging part about mixing social media and CSR lies in
the inconsistencies. While CSR is all about being selfless and
charitable, social media is a self-serving, egocentric platform.
It’s important that you never pat yourself on the back or make
the CSR initiative about your brand. Make subtle inferences
and draw attention back to the issue.

The Future of CSR Initiatives

As social media continues to expand its influence over the
majority of the population, we’ll naturally begin to see more
and more CSR initiatives touted and shared on social networks.
This is the future of corporate social responsibility – and you
don’t want to miss out.
 Reference No. 3 Topic: How CSR + Social Media ?

How CSR + Social Media ?

To promote a CSR campaign on social media, it becomes

necessary for the firm to appreciate the concerns & feedback of
its various shareholders and address the same in a transparent
fashion.

Treat 
social media as the voice of your firm to engage in a conversatio
n
 with your social media friends and followers by replying to their
comments, solving their doubts, and responding to their
queries, preferably within 24 hours. The aim of promoting your
CSR campaigns should be to inspire people to work for the
betterment of the society; positive feedback, increased
customer awareness and engagement, improved brand recall
value all become by-products.
Reference No.3 Topic: How CSR + Social Media ?

Social media is just another marketing tool used for communication but the reason it holds value for firms is because
of the non promotional way in which the firms can accelerate their goodwill. This is done by keeping their core
business activity at the backseat and letting their cause related initiatives be in the limelight.

Furthermore, active engagement of customers, if utilized well, can foster favorable brand image and escalated brand
value. Conclusively, social media can be used as a powerful channel for establishing the image of a firm as that of a
good corporate citizen by communicating, listening, answering and monitoring cause related initiatives undertaken by
the firm.
 Reference No. 4 Topic: CSR communication works best on social media

CSR communication works best on social media?

From communication about corporate responsibility to corporate responsibility in the realm of

communication: this is the switch that companies big and small are making in the way they talk about
sustainability.

It is a global phenomenon driven by two main factors.

On the one hand, changes in consumer awareness mean that consumers are much more alert to corporate
social responsibility (CSR) issues and the sustainable behaviour of companies and brands.

On the other, communication tools are evolving to promote direct interaction with users, with more genuine
language and more empathetic approaches adopted.

It all means that the time has come to brush the cobwebs away from the way we communicate around social
responsibility and sustainability issues. We must opt for a more human style and broaden the number of
channels we use in order to reach a bigger target market, seizing the opportunities offered by the digital era.
Reference No. 4 Topic: Report through video

Piramal Sarvajal - Hub and Spoke model - Safe

Drinking Water Solution
Open the link and see How the Company create
an effective and successful CSR Model

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmgLTX3kLjA
Reference No. 8 • Topic: Report through video

Samsung Technical School – A CSR Initiative

- We care for the girl child

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SttFYufPKws
Reference No. 5,6,7 Topic: Movie

A short Movie on CSR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejgg7pm-7lE

Samsung Corporate Social Responsibility: Bringing Light to Ethiopia Improves Life for Youth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt-ga9hdZ0w

Corporate Social Responsibility Examples Related to the Environment

https://www.sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com/examples-corporate-social-responsibility/
 References / Resources

• Article(March2015)
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/284735260_Using_Social_Media_for_CSR_Communication_and_Engaging_Stakeholders?e
nrichId=rgreq-4e72ae02f9ff5f304bbc7a6f9e7498f2
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=Y292ZXJQYWdlOzI4NDczNTI2MDtBUzozMzcwMDM5MDUzMzkzOTRAMTQ1NzM1OTQwMDMxNw%3D%3D&el=1_x_2&_esc=
publicationCoverPdf [1]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.) (December 2nd ,2015) Retrieved from

https://socialmediaweek.org/blog/2015/12/corporate-social-responsibility-social-media-efforts/ [2]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.envigo.co.uk/blog/social-media-marketing/role-social-media-promoting-csr-campaigns [3]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmgLTX3kLjA [4]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejgg7pm-7lE [5]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt-ga9hdZ0w [6]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.sustainablebusinesstoolkit.com/examples-corporate-social-responsibility/ [7]

• Pet therapy. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SttFYufPKws [8]