As more and more Companies embrace CSR there is a corresponding demand for competent professionals in the field. On the supply side, many young management and development professionals are keen to take up a career in corporate affairs. However, after joining they find the tasks ahead daunting and more so when their peers and managers do not recognize the work they do in the communities.The young CSR professionals in large MNCs /corporates do not have anyone to turn to. Sometimes even their reporting managers with a Communications or Marketing background may not understand what exactly they do.This makes them wonder what went wrong. They think they may be a complete misfit.
I find many development professionals who have built up a good career in NGOs coming to me and asking about switching to a career in CSR. Without trying to sound like I am putting them off, I often urge them to study the company that they plan to join and understand the CSR traditions within the company. Another suggestion is to network with CSR professionals, read CSR articles and develop their understanding of the challenges and constraints before venturing into CSR as a profession. If you are attracted only by the 'corporate tag' then you will not be ready to face the challenges ahead.
A recent article in CSR Asia - confessions of a CSR Practitioner brought out this very succintly. The author - a CSR manager - says: "I think one of the most challenging parts of my job is internal misunderstanding of what I do". My thoughts are resonated exactly in the above quote. It is a fact that CSR practitioners do not do enough internal stakeholder engagement.
Aspiring CSR professionals must be prepared to engage with internal stakeholders, top management in the long haul for their own good. If they are not prepared to take the initiative in educating their peers and managers within their respective companies - they may have to re-assess their decision.
very true...many a friend of mine has given me d same feedback - that of being "secondary citizen" in the company whiling away time and eating into the profits made by the hard work of "production-sales" team! This shoudl be an eye opener for all involved in CSR!
ReplyDeleteThis also brings me to another issue (or rather challenge)...many a skilled person with large expereince of working in development sector want to be part of CSR initiatives. But they always inform me that there is no single wondow to know about any opportunities. MOreover, companies (besides a few exceptions!) are approaching CSR as vehicle to get associated benefits and are gettign on with the responsibilities with people not suited (professionally or academically) to perform such task.
There is a huge need of sensitizing the companies too that CSR if to be successful than would require a team specialized in development work.
Feedback invited!
Yeahh..CSR is an important thing to do
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