Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a concept that integrates voluntary social and environmental concerns into business operations and their relationships with partners such as customers, suppliers and employees.

Three quarters of all companies estimate that the importance of CSR for businesses will increase medium to long term. 63 percent even indicate that there will be an actually growth in the social and environmental requirements to their own company.

Almost every other company even says that CSR is, in relation to other business-related issues of increasing importance1.

One of the reasons:

If product and price have no significant difference, 80 percent of respondents prefer that business which takes responsibility for the employees and the environment2.

Do you share this assessment and are you facing the question of how to meet this challenge and find a project that is right for you?

In order to achieve commitment to the common welfare, sustainable results for the company and to remain authentic at the same time, the following points could be a first guideline:

1. ‣Is there a comprehensible link between your business and marketing objectives as well as the voluntary commitment?
   

1. ‣ Does your commitment make a valuable contribution in solving social problems or questions about the future?
   

1. ‣ Is there a real added value by your commitment to all parties involved?
   

1. ‣ Can your employees and customers identify with the project and be involved?
   

1Quelle: GILDE GmbH Februar 2007

2Quelle: Studie des Instituts Markt – Umwelt – Gesellschaft