Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): “a concept that suggests that commercial corporations have a duty of care to all of their stakeholders in all aspects of their business operations.” But, is it just a concept? I suggest not. CSR is a way of being, a working and ongoing commitment to not only people who use your business services but rather to people you may never meet. CSR is business acumen delivered in an ethical and socially responsible manner.

The global monolith of semantics, McDonalds, has a CSR blog. Good for them. Impressive and interactive, I would encourage supportive comments on their blogs. Is there anyone not familiar with the fantastic service that Ronald McDonald Houses offer to sick children and their families? Even though I am not a McDonald’s food lover, I will support their fund raising efforts because they assist children.

The Body Shop, releases staff to do voluntary work in the community and they fund raise to support children and young people affected by domestic violence and abusive relationships. This is their CSR in action. I purchase their fundraising products not because I need the items but because I aim to support them support our community.

The prevalence rate of sexual abuse is as high as one in three. Shocking, horrific and unacceptable. However, if one in three of your potential customers is affected by sexual violence it would make good business sense to enact your CSR and dynamically support filling the huge gap in corporate support for sexual assault prevention and treatment.

Some academics find CSR distasteful. Their views oscillate around business is in the market of business, not in the market of government responsibility. Criticisms of business focused utilitarian actions and advertising gimmicks to draw more customers and profit are leveled at those daring to step into CSR. Certainly when I was a student social worker I struggled to understand how rich women, spending thousands on themselves to attend an expensive fund raising dinner for a cause could bring any lasting social benefit. It does! Most big business people have no time to volunteer but they may have disposable income and a yearning to be in the social set. Each to their own and if they can use their own needs and social standing to help others, so be it.

Social responsibility is not only the business of government. Child protection is the business of every single person. Child protection is serious business and those businesses serious about their CSR may do well to consider what they are doing to help protect the world’s upcoming consumers.

Do you know of any big business whose CSR supports people affected by sexual violence? Please, leave the name and link so that we can all support these businesses to support our children. The bigger the list, the greater the global support of our children affected by sexual violence.

Imaginif…child protection was serious business!

A related article on attracting male mentors: MEN TORch the Chance of Boys Becoming Non-Violent Men (please note that Big Brother/Big Sister Australia do not support the views in this article and were concerned that their linked association suggests that they share my views on why we cannot attract male mentors. I apologise to them for any concern raised.)