Doing good matters

Last week, NPR ran a story that argued the business necessity of CSR – corporate social responsibility – amid the rise of millennials “as a powerful economic force” in the United States. With their “BS meters” finely tuned, Paul Argenti says that millennials are “more demanding, more in touch and more skeptical.”

In our roles as Corporate Communication and PR professionals, we’ve been witness to millennials making employment and consumption decisions based on CSR efforts. In fact, with their zero tolerance for inauthenticity by Corporate America, millennials are a good barometer to measure the quality of our CSR strategies. To pass muster, a CSR strategy must be genuine, consistent with an organization’s values and brand proposition, and it must resonate with the company’s client, customer, and consumer audiences.

Does your CSR strategy follow best practices? Learn from an all-star line-up of Orange County’s best CSR pros at the upcoming Network & Knowledge Series event on September 13. Every September, our chapter honors the anniversary of 9/11 and our National Day of Service by inviting a panel to share how they’re implementing social purpose programs in their communities. Lisa Falcetti will moderate a powerful discussion among: Charles Antis, Antis Roofing and Waterproofing; Sarah Huoh, Edwards Lifesciences; Shellie Frey, Golden State Foods; and Tyler Wagner, thinkPARALLAX.

If you’re in Southern California on September 13, we’ll save you a seat! Our annual CSR panel event is always popular, and I look forward to seeing you there!

Elaine Beliakoff
IABC/OC president, 2016