Wow, CSR cuts across many fields of interest and it seems a hard call to place it in just one functional basket such as
HR.
To me it is something that needs ownership at the board and sponsorship at the CEO level or if your business isn't that big I would be advising the Business owner/managing director that they need to brush up on this and in a hurry.
If you are coming at it from the ethical perspective I wonder whether this sits best with the professional associations/bodies that govern the actions of the various professions that operate in a business. If we are talking about meeting legislative requirements, far be it from me as
HR to advise the organisation what it should and should not do in respect to greenhouse gas emissions, or waste disposal, or how to best manage shareholder returns. (My wife would definately agree that I wouldn't be a wise choice of advisor for the third matter anyway).
Don't get me wrong from the people management side
HR is a player in CSR and ensuring that the organisation demonstrates socially responsible action in how it recruits, motivates, manages and retains its staff, but I wonder whether
HR is the best home for CSR to sit holistically? The other major consideration is to what extent does morality define the business. In most instances it may simply be legal compliance however church organisations may have different philosophies, as might those that are predominately commerce based, or 'green' driven etc. Again is this a
HR function or is this a whole of board function? Administering a system of values/code of behaviour may be
HR aligned as it can be managed through people management processes. However defining the shape of those values seems to be something for wider functional influence. Is not CSR to reflect societal stances at the time, that is what may be acceptable in society one year may be abhorrent the next. Does
HR know this?
The other thing that I wonder is whether this is a function that
HR may want to take on. Does it sit within the broader scope of
HR? One of the things that I consider
HR sometimes struggles with in many businesses is being recognised as a specialist area and as a profession in its own right. Our accountant finds it humourous when I make the remark about what function really adds value to the business. My remark may be said in jest but needless to say I have a belief behind it as well.
This is simply my view though and I wouldn't mind hearing what others have to say on this line.
Corporate Social Responsibility - HR responsibility ?
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