People plus planet = talent magnet

CSR and sustainability programmes form a crucial link with profitability, and are key differentiators in the recruitment process

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes are a key mechanism to boost engagement and attract top talent, research among top employers across South Africa shows.

Effective CSR programmes grow the three Ps: profit, people and planet, says Billy Elliott, country manager of the Top Employers Institute (TEI) in South Africa.

Increasing this “triple bottom line” is a consistent pattern among top employers — and research shows that 97% of top employers in the country have defined an organisation-wide CSR programme.

Why you should be leveraging CSR

The TEI, which certifies and rec- ognises excellence in the conditions employers create for their people globally, helps organisations stay on top of current HR best practices. One of the areas that the TEI researches is how to ensure an effective CSR programme.

Nearly all the top employers across South Africa implement these practices in their CSR programmes, says Elliott. “Taking CSR seriously as a differentiator is as essential in the competition for talent as it is for reputationbuilding among stakeholders,” he says.

“CSR and sustainability programmes are the primary way that organisations demonstrate their willingness to improve society and give back in a meaningful way. As such, these initiatives are emerging as a key mechanisms not only to make employees feel proud and involved with the organisation, enhancing organisational culture, but [also] to attract new talent.”

How you should be leveraging CSR

Forbes contributor James Epstein-Reeves agrees that an effectively implemented CSR programme can have a major impact on employee engagement and stakeholder relationships and therefore, ultimately, profitability.

Echoing Elliott’s sentiments on the three Ps, Epstein-Reeves cites a link between CSR and innovation, brand differentiation, employee engagement and even long-term cost saving.

Effectiveness requires buy-in, points out Elliott. Across South Africa, 94% of top employers consistently make information about their CSR programme freely accessible to employees, and 87% consistently evaluate their impact and effectiveness. In order to encourage employees to participate, over 75% grant special leave for participation in CSR activities.

South African top employer Thermo Fisher Scientific, for example, supports Stop Hunger Now, an international body that co-ordinates the distribution of food and other life-saving aid. Kirstie Bean, HR leader Africa for the company, says via Thermo Fisher’s CSR programme, Get Involved, employees from various divisions work together to pack food hampers — sometimes up to 20 000 in a single drive.

Leveraging CSR for the long-term

Portia Bangerezako, head of sustainability at top employer South Africa Sanlam, says that as a financial institution, Sanlam aims to help build economic resilience, and their progress is reported annually in the sustainability report. The report links CSR to the company strategy overall, and employees are encouraged to volunteer ideas.

Some targets set by Sanlam include reducing their own electricity and water consumption; a transformative partnership with WWF SA, identifying strategic water sources (an open source project which is accessible to all); and a high-resolution water risk filter tool to help individuals and companies determine their water risks.

Sanlam also piloted a project that allows for self-sustaining active ownership for organised labour, to capacitate union members and enable them to query issues pertaining to Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) targets. Sanlam spent a total of R207million on skills development for its employees and R116.7 million on enterprise and supplier development in 2016.

“Most of these goals are long term. CSR is a marathon, not a sprint, but done right, it benefits all, Bangerezako points out. “We continue to look at a way to improve our business, clients we serve, employees and wider society, and have committed to a way we can have a material impact on the Sustainable Development Goals.” Whereas corporates played a more passive role through offering of products and services in the past, the need for a more active, developmental role has become evident given the low savings rate and insurance penetration.”

Top Employers Institute

The Top Employers Institute helps leading employers around the world adapt to the rapidly changing HR environment. To gain more insights, visit www.top-employers.com To get certified, visit: https:// www.top-employers.com/ en- ZA/get-certified/