Today, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is more important than ever. This article discusses various CSR initiatives for your consideration of how they may benefit your recruiting efforts.

Job seekers are keeping an eye on how organizations treat their employees and their communities. Socially responsible organizations can not only boost attraction of new talent but also retention of current employees.

What Is Corporate Social Responsibility?

While there isn’t one specific definition of CSR, generally speaking, CSR refers to how an organization benefits society. CSR can include the environmental, social and economic impacts an organization has, as well as how an organization contributes to society through other initiatives.

CSR topics for employers to consider include:

• Environmental—Environmental sustainability applies to how an organization’s actions impact the environment. Sustainability can include the use of physical resources, as well as evaluating the impact of a supply chain.
• Social—Social impact includes topics such as how your workplace fosters inclusivity and diversity, as well as how your organizational values impact society.
• Economic—Your organization has an economic impact in local communities through job creation and more. Economic-related topics can also extend to engagements such as philanthropy.
• COVID-19 Response—How your organization has responded to the pandemic is a critical component of your employer brand. If your response was and continues to be a positive one and is communicated effectively, it can help boost recruiting and retention.

Reporting Initiatives

Organizations can consider formally reporting their CSR initiatives. There are formal standards available, such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). GRI creates guidelines to report on the environmental, economic and social impact an organization has on society. While formal reporting isn’t necessary, it can be used to establish accountability and quantify the positive, impactful work your organization is doing.

CSR Is Especially Important to Gen Z

Younger generations, such as millennials and Gen Z, disproportionally care about CSR. Gen Z—those born between 1995 and 2010—is beginning to enter the workforce and is estimated to make up over half of the workforce by 2030. They care about a company’s ethics, practices and social impact. For example, according to LinkedIn, 77% of Gen Z says a company’s level of commitment to diversity would influence their decision to work there.

CSR Recruiting Strategies

Integrating CSR into recruiting practices can help ensure your efforts are hitting relevant topics. Considerations include:

• Implement CSR in your employer recruiting brand. Whether it be your careers page, online platforms such as LinkedIn or marketing materials, include your corporate social responsibility initiatives as part of your employer recruiting brand.
• Focus on the why. CSR extends to the core impact of your products and services, including your mission statement. Ensure job seekers are aware of your mission statement and your values.
• Discuss CSR in interviews. Bring up your CSR initiatives and the positive impacts they are having with candidates as they apply and interview.

These are some starting points. CSR can be heavily integrated into your organization’s internal and external communications.

Efforts will look different for every organization, but leaders should consider how their positive impact on society goes hand in hand with their recruiting efforts.