Cynosura

Effective communication should be an integral part of your corporate responsibility (CR) strategy. Not just for reporting purposes, but also to get buy-in and compliance from your stakeholders, to enhance your reputation and gain competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Do we know what effect our current CR communications are having on our stakeholders?
• Are we able to explain our CR approach in a few short simple sentences?
• Are our CR policies easily understand by our employees?
• Does our CSR Report look like a long list of tick boxes or is it explaining what we are trying to achieve and why it is important for our business?
• Do we report problems honestly, hide them in technical data or move the target date for implementation into the next reporting year?
• Are we involving employees in solving problems or are we only communicating successes?
• Do we have a Code of Conduct?
• Do our employees know the ethical standards by which we work?
• Are our governance and CR policies aligned and are they being implemented? Or is there a disconnect between Board wishes and organisational capabilities?
• Are there areas where we could be accused of greenwashing and are we prepared to handle criticism?
• Do we have crisis management scenario training in place in readiness for activist attacks?
• Do we know what the media and social media are saying about our CR efforts?
• Do we know what our employees are saying about us in the social media?
• Are we training our employees on how to communicate your CR policies?

To answer yes to all of these questions requires you to have:

• A communications strategy which integrates your CR policies, adopts the right messages for the right stakeholders and delivers these messages through appropriate communications channels
• Well trained people who understand your CR policies and have the communications skills to act as your ambassadors and spokespeople
• Up to date and transparent governance policies which integrates CR into the organisation and delivers practical results
• A code of conduct or ethical code which gives unambiguous and transparent guidance to stakeholders and which is enforceable.

How can we help?

At Cynosura we offer advice and practical support by:

• Working with you to clarify your CR strategy
• Identifying the stakeholders who will help you to deliver your CR strategy
• Developing messages for your stakeholders and building the right communications channels to reach your target audience
• Integrating your CR strategy into your broader communications package
• Training your people in the communications skills needed to communicate your CR policy and act as your ambassadors
• Work with you to develop a governance structure that really works, is clear, transparent and can easily be aligned with your CR strategy – and then deliver practical results
• Develop with you a Code of Conduct or Ethical Code which embraces your CR values, and which gives clear and unambiguous guidance to employees, suppliers and other key stakeholders. A code of conduct is pointless unless it is enforceable; so we will help you to build the systems that deliver compliance in everyday situations.

What are the benefits?

You will be noticed for your actions and not just fancy words. You will get the emotional engagement from your stakeholders that will deliver practical, on the ground, results. You will build a community of supporters who will convey your values and protect your reputation from outside attacks.

What now?

You will find papers covering the theory behind some of the subject areas in our Resource Centre.

But if you want to get started now or wish to discuss our services further then email us us to arrange a free and confidential discussion.