Marketing Your Business: Help Yourself by Helping Others- CSR in 2009

By Alan Ranzer

Alan Razner

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has come a long way over the last 20+ years. In the 1980’s, corporations were happy to simply cut a check to the United Way or another charitable organization of choice. The 90’s ushered in the era of getting out into the community to do something more tangible, such as building a house with Habitat for Humanity, or a playground in a local community park. Since 2000, CSR has entered the meeting and incentive arena, with corporations making efforts to “leave something behind” from meeting destinations around the globe.

Fast forward to 2009, in the wake of the current economic environment and the “post-AIG” world, the role of CSR has become more vital than ever in our industry. This is a time when the fear of layoffs is real, and keeping people motivated is particularly important. Research shows that self-worth is more important than even compensation. Salaries might not be increasing but if a company does something that makes employees feel good about themselves by helping others, it can serve to motivate employees.

Also prevalent in the post-AIG world is the perception that meetings = corporate excess or even “junkets”. In a time of extreme oversight and criticism in the corporate arena, meeting planners are working hard to battle the issue of perception. Meeting planners no longer simply seek approval from their superiors regarding destinations, budgets, themes, and event ROI. Now, they seek it from the media, consumers, watchdog groups, and even congress. One way meeting planners are responding is via CSR-integrated activities at their events, and PR to prove it.

Texas Roadhouse, a 325-chain restaurant, held a meeting recently in San Francisco for 300 managing partners and spouses. The event featured 5-days of business meetings and lavish fun, but also a full day of community service, which included over $1 million in equipment and donations to the local San Francisco community. Getting the word out was important which resulted in an appearance by the CEO on CNBC during the event, to show that meetings are crucial to business, and that they were making a positive impact on the San Francisco community via community service. Upon return from the event, the Community Outreach Coordinator said that the phone keeps ringing with positive reviews of the press they received from the event.

An event that gives back to the community need not take a lot of time or money, for the simple fact that times have changed. Certainly a meaningful program could include transporting a group off-site to build a house, refurbish a library, or freshen up a local park or community garden. However, nowadays there are programs that can happen on-site at the hotel/resort in a shorter timeframe that can be meaningful for participants and the community at large. Given 2 hours, a teambuilding company can provide endless opportunities to match the client’s cause of choice with a worthwhile experience. Given a cocktail hour, welcome reception, or other smaller timeframe, participants can take part in assembly-line style activities that result in bikes, toys, care packages, get well gifts, toy chests, bookshelves, murals, etc., that ensure that a meeting/incentive makes a difference in the meeting community.

What’s more is that this is becoming more of an easy sell than can be imagined. The real “sell” is a meeting/incentive itself! With that in mind, smart planners are including CSR activities in their RFPs to clients, or in their internal pitches to decision makers to fend off potential negative initial feedback. What sounds more palatable for an event: golf outing or bike build for charity? Beach Olympics or donation of school bags for children? Which is more prone to receive positive feedback from the media, consumers, or watchdog groups? An easy sell.

In a time of finger-wagging and overblown scrutiny, it’s hard to say that spending money on community outreach is money poorly spent.