How Leaders Can Authentically Create and Communicate Community Engagement
Much like a swinging pendulum, the professional and financial services sectors have alternated between being outspoken on social issues and keeping quiet. Companies are generally consistent about how they approach community engagement and philanthropy internally—it’s their external messaging that’s constantly changing. So, how did we get to the point where companies are backtracking on progress made around issues like climate change and diversity? Recent politics have something to do with it but the struggle with what to call any form of community engagement or social stance has been around for decades.
A Short History of Corporate Social Engagement
Twenty years ago, most companies focused on what was then called corporate social responsibility (CSR) out of necessity, not necessarily because impact-focused work aligned with their values or supported their culture. It was purely a reaction to growing concerns around the environmental, social, and economic effect big organizations were having on the world as awareness of questionable practices grew. Later, CSR became a synonym for philanthropic contributions, which involved corporate gifts to social causes that appealed to leaders or boards. Many of these donations were not tied to corporate missions and thus lacked authenticity.
The murder of George Floyd in 2020 turned the tide. As the spotlight turned to ESG and DEI, companies were forced to recognize that what they said needed to align with what they did and where they gave money. They began to understand that end customers and employees would no longer tolerate companies who were just sitting on the sidelines. Simply providing a donation was no longer enough—leaders needed to find a way to authentically tie charitable work and altruistic engagement with their company’s brand, values, and culture.
In recent years, polarization has led to another shift in both the focus and communication around corporate impact.
A Path Forward
Where do we go from here? Creating and communicating impact looks different for every company. The key is to know and uphold corporate values, identify and give back to the communities a company serves or operates within, and solicit input from employees to make sure you are on the right track. Companies that struggle to find a way to authentically engage with their communities are probably not familiar enough with what their customers and employees want. Ask around, talk to the board, take polls, read employee feedback—but don’t just assume that you know what will resonate with people. Start with research and data then go from there.
Finding a balance between speaking out and staying quiet is not easy. But bouncing between two extremes is never the answer. Consistency is key when it comes to both communications and creating impact. At Bliss, we work with a handful of organizations that align with our values and those of our employees to create meaningful change. If there is a cause or an organization we strongly believe in, you will see us post about it on social media or host an event to support it, in addition to occasionally making donations. We also implement a decision framework that helps us to decide when and how we should comment on issues and events. We ask ourselves questions like: How is this connected to our values as a firm? How is this connected to how we serve our clients? How is this connected to our teams’ work and wellbeing? This framework ensures that our messaging is consistent and aligns with our mission.
Bliss Impact allows us to do even more for organizations in the social impact and sustainability space through strategic marketing and communications. One of my first jobs after college in the government non-profit space taught me a lesson that still applies to my job today: making a big difference starts with effectively communicating why that difference matters.
A New Way to Talk About Corporate Impact
Part of effectively communicating why something matters is using the right words at the right time. Acronyms aren’t as effective as plain, simple language. I propose that we start talking about what companies do to give back and make a difference in the world as “community engagement.” Because at the end of the day, it’s about the communities and the people we serve and the impact they feel, whether it is related to sustainability, economic inequality or other social determinants of health.
Leaders who stay authentic to their company’s brand and values will be able to pause their swinging pendulum in the right place and be able to deliver to the communities that matter most to them.
Photo by Pixabay via Pexels
