CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Why you should use CSR strategies to strengthen your brand equity

By our News Team | 2022

Many firms leverage social initiatives to generate positive publicity, to attract the best talent, and to keep pace with their competitors.

In a world that has been shrunk into a village through digital technologies, consumers have become more aware of products and practices beneficial to the environment and society. 

Therefore, companies must embed CSR as a key pillar for shaping behaviour, strategies and the objectives of corporations, says Samuel Muthoka of Ipsos Kenya, where he is Director for East and Horn of Africa at the Centre for Development Research & Evaluation.

Corporate Social Responsibility

Photo by ATC Comm Photo at Pexels

In a recent blog post, he notes that the pandemic provided prime opportunities for firms to demonstrate their commitment to helping communities deal with the challenges facing the world. Many that seized the opportunity were able to wade through the worst health crisis of recent times by reaching out to their communities through social initiatives. 

The Ipsos report entitled Two Years On: Lessons from Covid-19 Times, found that although Covid disrupted the way that we live, it didn’t dent our concern for climate change.

“In fact, the major highlight of this research was how the pandemic offered a key opportunity for change — to take a more sustainable approach that could protect the long-term viability of business and pay more attention to environmental and social outcomes,” Muthoka writes in the post.

Few believe there is a clear climate plan in place

“[The] Ipsos 2021 Earth Day study found two-thirds of the global public say government and business will be failing employees, consumers and citizens if they do not take the lead in influencing actions towards reducing [the] global warming responsible for climate change. Globally, only 31% believe their market has a clear plan in place for how government, businesses and people themselves are going to work together to tackle the crisis.”

According to the Ipsos report on lessons from the pandemic, evidence shows that people are far from being aware of how their lifestyles may need to adapt to save the planet. For example, 59% globally believe that recycling waste as much as possible has a significant impact on CO2 emissions, while it is relatively minimal in comparison with other activities. 

And, overall, there is only a slight increase in public willingness to change high carbon emission behaviours since 2014, which poses a problem.

Muthoka says consumers help build the brand equity of a socially responsible company by enhancing its future profits and goodwill. Therefore, business must turn up and play a leading role in addressing the climate change crisis. That is where CSR comes in as a handy tool in addressing the multi-sectional challenges posed by global warming.

“In this era, where [the] climate crisis is the gravest challenge facing humanity, socially responsible entities will live [up] to their reputation by establishing impactful community social initiatives around saving the planet. This will set them apart from the clutter of the philanthropic world.”

Read the full blog post here.

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    Dr Kin Kariisa

    Group CEO - Next Media

    Dr. Kin Kariisa is an extraordinary force at the helm of Next Media Services, a conglomerate encompassing NBS TV, Nile Post, Sanyuka TV, Next Radio, Salam TV, Next Communication, Next Productions, and an array of other influential enterprises. His dynamic role as Chief Executive Officer exemplifies his unwavering commitment to shaping media, business, and community landscapes.
    With an esteemed academic journey, Dr. Kariisa’s accolades include an Honorary PhD in exemplary community service from the United Graduate College inTexas, an MBA from United States International University in Nairobi, Kenya, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from Huazong University in China, and a Bachelor’s degree in Statistics from Makerere University.
    Dr. Kariisa pursued PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radboud University in Nijmegen, Netherlands. As a dynamic educator, he has shared his expertise as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at both Makerere University and Radboud University.

    Dr Kin did his PhD research in Computer Security and Identity Management at Security of Systems Group, Radbond University in Nigmegen, Netherlands. He previously served as a lecturer of e-Government and Information Security at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda and Radbond University in Netherlands.

    Dr Kin did his postgraduate courses in Strategic Business Management, Strategic Leadership Communication and Strategies for Leading Successful Change Initiatives at Harvard University, Boston USA.

    • Other current and previous roles played by Dr Kin Kariisa:
    • Lecturer of e-Government and Information Security to graduate students at Makerere University, Kampala and Radbond University in the Netherlands
    • Director of Eco Bank Uganda Limited, one of the largest banks in Africa
    • Chairman of the National Association of Broadcasters, an umbrella industry association for all Television, Radio and online broadcasters in Uganda.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Nile Hotel International, that owns the leading hotel in Uganda, Kampala Serena Hotel.
    • Chairman of Board of Directors of Soliton Telmec Uganda, the leading telecom company in Optic fibre business managing over 80% of optic fibre in Uganda.