Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): More of Public Relations than Noble Intentions

Before, business and non-profits differ in many ways as if they were in the different worlds. Business is concerned with making profits while non-profit is concerned with making a positive impact in society. Now, the two see each other as partners. Their paths of engagement have converged.

This convergence has led many corporations to do Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It allows them to invest in social, cultural and environmental programs and activities to make a positive impact on society. However, skeptics of CSR would say that this move of corporations is just propaganda and public relations (PR) to enhance and promote their brand, thus furthering their profit.

Many of these CSR programs and activities do not have a development framework on the communities they intend to help. They are also most of the time stand alone projects. Their activities, although noble and helpful, are mostly dole-out and temporary. This kind of outreach often causes harm than good in the long run.

For example, a local government has implemented a low-cost housing project where it charges a minimal monthly payment for the beneficiaries to make the project sustainable. Then, a multinational corporation has decided to build houses for free for some urban poor residents. The beneficiaries of the local government’s project started to be delinquent with their payment because they compared themselves with those recipients of those free houses. The CSR of the corporation has killed the initiative and project of the local government which has a vision of low-cost and affordable housing for the city residents in sustainable manner.