BY HARWOOD BUSINESS SCHOOL

INTRODUCTION

ncreasingly, corporate executives must find new ways to address the social, economic,

and environmental effects of doing business while balancing conflicting demands on their attention, time, and resources. Emphasizing the alignment of corporate social responsibility (CSR) with business strategy, this program helps you define priorities, integrate social responsibility throughout your business, and build social and business value. You will strengthen your ability to define and implement powerful CSR strategies that position the firm, its reputation, and its way of doing business for enduring success.

What You Can Expect

Corporate Social Responsibility explores the challenges and opportunities of current CSR models, as well as the next generation of issues that business practitioners will face. New frameworks and concepts will help you sharpen your program's focus and integrate social responsibility throughout operations in order to position your firm for higher levels of success.

Your Course of Study

This intensive program focuses on the practices of companies that have successfully created business and social value through focused, aligned, and integrated CSR programs. It provides the practical knowledge and insight you need to improve decision making, leverage partnerships, manage risk, and measure performance.

Who Is Right for the Program

The program is specifically designed for senior executives who direct corporate social responsibility programs or oversee departments such as public affairs, philanthropy, sustainability, environmental health and safety, or community affairs. Senior officers with profit-and-loss responsibilities will benefit from attending.

Social Enterprise Initiative

By integrating social enterprise-related research, teaching, and activities into daily life at HBS, the Social Enterprise Initiative plays a critical role in supporting the School's mission to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

Improving Your Organization's Performance

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is integral to long-term business success. Today's organizations must be increasingly mindful of the impact that their operations have on

society at large, and this requires much more than isolated measures. In a climate of heightened social awareness and instant access to information, CSR must be a fundamental part of your company's targeted practices, broad objectives, and overall culture. This program is designed to help executives fully integrate social responsibility in ways that benefit both society and business. You will learn how to develop an overarching CSR strategy suited to the unique requirements of your companyone that addresses the social, economic, and environmental effectsas you better position your organization for immediate and future success.

Taking Your Skills to the Next Level

In this program, you will enhance your ability to set priorities, measure results, and communicate the value of CSR efforts across your organization. Specifically, you will learn how to: Create competitive advantage through CSR Assess risks and opportunities before making capital investments or other business decisions Align CSR strategies with organizational goals and capabilities Evaluate current initiatives and consolidate efforts around key objectives Present a business case for CSR initiatives Implement CSR at all levels of the company Understand how CSR directly affects current and future regulatory practices Foster successful interaction with key internal and external stakeholders as well as governments and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

"Brilliantly taught and extremely focused, the program delivered a solid basis for the rationale and need for CSR as well as practical insights on how to manage specific situations. The case studies not only were exercises geared for intellectual discussion, but also were guides for real-world conditions that I could encounter. Engaging with participants from many different countries led to a diverse and multicultural perspective that was very enriching."

CURICULLAM

Your Course of Study

Through recent case studies, lectures, and small group discussions, you will examine how successful businesses develop a CSR strategy that is integrated with the long-term needs of

the business. In addition, you will have numerous opportunities to learn from the diverse experiences and perspectives of peers from around the world. Core topics include:

Integrating Social and Organizational Values

Making the business case for social responsibility by calculating costs and benefits Recognizing the links between the welfare of society and the success of the organization Examining opportunities designed to benefit the organization as well as the community Integrating corporate social responsibility best practices into key business areas Identifying and managing the positive and negative impacts of business activities on society

Driving Social Responsibility Throughout the Organization

Aligning social responsibility strategies and goals with organizational objectives Embedding CSR within the business culture to sustain the strategy over the long term Building CSR expertise through hiring and partnerships Integrating social responsibility metrics into general performance management systems Disseminating information on CSR policies throughout the organization Demonstrating how CSR practices continue to affect individuals and departments Communicating the impact of social responsibility to capital markets, shareholders, and other stakeholders

Managing Risk and Decision Making

Evaluating complex environments and potential impacts before investing capital or making business decisions Interacting successfully with governments, NGOs, and stakeholders Decentralizing CSR to allow for local differences and optimizations across the organization Identifying current vulnerabilities and predicting future pitfalls related to business practices Developing preparation and prevention processes for handling crisis scenarios Integrating CSR initiatives in vendor and supplier agreements

"I certainly came out of the program with a better and clearer understanding of the importance of aligning the business strategy with CSR activities. In addition, I realized the vast potential that a social enterprise can offer as a CSR initiative within a for-profit

company. Now I am convinced that we need to find new opportunities to implement this model at my company."