Corporate Social Responsibilities Evolution Beyond Public Relations

Corporate Social Responsibilities – 1
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Corporate Social Responsibilities – 1
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a central concept in the global business environment. Komodromos (2017) defined it as a business strategy that describes a company's commitment to ethical operation. This means managing their business processes while considering their impact on all community aspects, including environmental, economic, and social elements (Komodromos, 2017). It can target issues like environmental protection, animal testing, and charitable fundraisers. The overall goal is to enhance public relations and the organization's brand image. Public relations (PR) is the strategic communication from an organization to the public to cultivate, manage, or maintain a positive brand image (Reeves, 2016). The relationship between CSR and PR has generated a heated debate among scholars and public relations professionals. Some are persistent about the separation of these concepts. Some see this relationship as a marketing tool or strategy to improve brand recognition. The notion that CSR is just public relations is a fair evaluation because the two initiatives inexorably have similar business management functions and communication needs. They both contribute to building reputation and brand image, strengthening community relations, and achieving a competitive advantage.
‘CSR is Just Public Relations’
CSR has evolved from a profit maximization strategy to a tool for social responsibility designed to build brand image and reputation and develop a competitive advantage. Traditionally, business responsibility refers to ethical practices toward major shareholders’ and investors’ interests. A company's only role in society was economic: generating profit, providing employment, and stimulating economic growth and success. This sole responsibility changed when literary icons such as Thoreau and Emerson, who celebrated the beauty of nature, and environmentalists, who fought to reduce environmental destruction, appeared (Reeves, 2016). Their views made corporate executives reconsider business models and operational priorities.
Although corporations are driven by profit maximization, they embrace responsibility for the impact of their activities on the environment, stakeholders, and communities. They also strive to promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development. Today's corporate world is experiencing increased competition that has enhanced the need for public relations functions (Komodromos, 2017). However, CSR practice is subject to controversy and criticism. Proponents claim that operating with a broader and longer perspective than companies' immediate, short-term goals benefits them numerous ways. Opponents argue that CSR distracts businesses from their essential economic roles (Reeves, 2016). Others contend that it is nothing beyond superficial window-dressing. The dominant factor is that CSR and PR are interdependent as they both try to build a firm’s image in the market.
The company’s PR division acts as the firm's surveillance in many businesses. They monitor relationships between the organization and its environment. The team also predicts challenges and designs adequate measures to address those problems. Just like PR, CSR policies strengthen the company's image and reputation. According to Reeves (2016), corporates with excellent reputations have a competitive advantage over others. They also have more respect for organizational views. The firm is more likely to increase employee morale, reduce turnover, and attract talented employees. Therefore, CSR and PR are two distinct elements with various similar corporate functions. One of the primary functions of both strategies is building brand image and reputation. CSR strengthens brand image by being socially responsible. That is to say, acting in ways that impact stakeholders positively.
Komodromos (2017) found that more than 87% of consumers expect companies to consider their impact on stakeholders. Additionally, over 70% of people prefer buying from organizations whose beliefs, values, and perspectives align with theirs (Komodromos, 2017). For instance, those with significant environmental concerns shift to firms that invest in clean energy. If consumers are highly likely to transact with ethical organizations, the companies’ sales and profit can increase. This can be a win-win for a company through high demand because more customers are willing to pay extra cash for products that are friendly to the environment. The shift in consumer buying encourages organizations to remain committed to responsible corporate practices (Reeves, 2016). Companies have begun considering various economic aspects as a unique opportunity for growth and competition. Melding CSR and PR also impacts brand reputation positively. Businesses that become tantamount to humanitarian activities will gain comprehensive media coverage, and these CSR efforts can become a focal point of the conversation around the brand.
In today's business environment, producing high-quality products or services does not guarantee a company's massive success and survival. Companies are required to adopt ethical practices and act in a manner that benefits all stakeholders in the surrounding community. Public relations, an intermediary between organizations and stakeholders, is often involved in determining these societal pressures (Komodromos, 2017). Despite these growing expectations and increased research about the topic, hesitancy and muddle continue to mount CSR and its association with public relations. Firms need public relations to be perceived as trusted and dependable.
PR uses communication and media to influence other people’s opinions about the company. This creates new channels and opportunities for sale (Reeves, 2016). The fact that CSR aims to build a company's image implies that it is just public relations. Consumer cognizance and ethical considerations have become influential in adopting CSR policies. Reeves (2016) explored the connection between CSR and PR and concluded that the two disciplines seek to improve the relationship between an organization and major stakeholders. He focused on PR professionals' ability to scrutinize the social and environmental features to enhance CSR. Reeves (2016) found that CSR and public relations are significant factors for organizational growth and development.
Echoing Reeves’ (2016) view, Komodromos (2017) questioned PR’s role in CSR. In his evaluation, he asserted that, as a corporate management function, PR plays a significant role in communicating and promoting CSR programs but emphasizes that CSR and PR are different. Komodromos (2017) further noted that corporate responsibility actions should be a combined effort of management, workers, and PR professionals. In this viewpoint, PR communicates CSR information to the public, monitors CSR potential opportunities or threats, performs environmental scanning functions, and builds community relationships (Reeves, 2016). Most of these functions are similar to those conducted in traditional business communication reports. Simply put, PR is a communication tool. Therefore, PR communicates such efforts to the public in almost all corporations with CSR programs.
Therefore, as discussed, it is safe to conclude that corporate social responsibility and public relations are different concepts but interrelated. They share most of their goals and functions. Saying that CSR is just public relations is a fair evaluation argued from the perspective of corporate management functions of these aspects. However, this does not mean that the two concepts are equal and can be used interchangeably. From an individual viewpoint, a fair evaluation means approaching an argument with an open mind. In this case, looking at a bigger picture, CSR is just good public relations for most companies because it allows them to expand their businesses and customer base, increase their customer loyalty by strengthening their image and reputation, and establish a cordial relationship with the stak...