Quick Tips for Kickstarting your CSR Programme

Recently, growth has been lingering in my mind, maybe because I have embarked on the next step of my journey or perhaps the Republic Group is growing? It can even be both. Either way we’re stepping into new countries in the East Caribbean (EC) and naturally, we’re thinking holistically about how best to serve our new customers as well as the wider communities regardless of their banking preferences. We truly believe that we are our brother’s keeper; so, we have a responsibility to give back to the communities where we operate. The Power to Make a Difference (PMAD) programme is part of the Bank’s DNA and it will certainly be introduced in Republic EC.

As we enter the markets of the EC, the introduction of the PMAD programme is inevitable. I have been thinking about the following steps towards kick-starting Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes.

1. Understand the values of your organisation and seek alignment with the needs of your community – A CSR programme starts with a conversation between an organisation and a community. Our PMAD programme has identified several key pillars, including youth development. However, the nature of youth development has varied depending on the country. For example, we partnered with University of Ghana’s Needy Students Fund to support hundreds of students on their path to academic success. In Barbados – a country with totally different needs – we started the Republic Bank RightStart Speech contest, an initiative that uses debate to empower young people. Youth development is at the heart of both initiatives, but each reflects the country’s specific needs.

2. Understand the unique advantages your organisation can bring – Just as every territory has unique needs, every organisation has unique strengths. For example, since sickle cell disease is more likely to affect people of certain ethnicities, many Caribbean people are especially vulnerable. One of the Bank’s unique advantages is our long history in the Caribbean; not only are we active in many communities, we’re an indigenous bank with a deep understanding of the region. So we felt equipped to combat this disease on a Caribbean-wide scale. Through partnerships and investment of CAN$1,000,000 in SickKids Caribbean Initiative, ten thousand Caribbean people have been screened for sickle cell disease.

3. Get executive buy-in – Any project needs leadership support to be truly successful. This may start with an informal conversation, but you’ll need to determine your goals, objectives, target and scope of work and the level of investment needed. I recommend a formal presentation that covers all these areas – this will demonstrate your commitment.

4. Get the support and input of employees from inception to execution – One of the reasons that PMAD has been successful is because staff are encouraged to pursue their own interests. For example, we launched #GoodDeedsByRBL to celebrate our 182nd anniversary. Teams were challenged to execute CSR projects in their neighbourhoods – the funding came from us but the ideas came from them. One team treated eight senior citizens to dinner and gifts of appreciation, another supported animal rescue, while another donated care packages to exercise enthusiasts. As an added bonus, #GoodDeedsByRBL demonstrated the deep connections our staff have built with the communities they serve.

5. Partner with other organisations to increase your impact – You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. When we decided to fight cancer, it didn’t matter that we weren’t medical experts. Instead, we partnered with the Cancer Society so that we could each bring our own areas of expertise. In 2008, we jointly opened Vitas House – a hospice for the provision of palliative care for terminally ill cancer patients.

6. Communicate– Consider your action words and use them consistently. When we named PMAD, we wanted to communicate that we all have the power to make a difference. We wanted our employees to believe that they had that power (and we’re so proud of the ways that they’ve seized the opportunities). Remember, communication should take place on both internal and external channels. Not only do you want buy-in from your team, you want buy-in from the communities that you’re trying to serve.

7. Measure your success and learn from shortcomings –You assess profitability and staff performance and constantly seek to improve. You should hold your CSR programme to the same standard of all other corporate metrics.

Most importantly: make your word your bond. The hallmark of a successful CSR programme is fulfilling the promises you made to the communities you serve.