More than a dozen leaders of the corporate social responsibility community in Chicago gathered on Friday, September 18th to share their experiences and ideas over lunch.  Hosted by Mission Measurement as part of the Leaders in Social Innovation (LSI) luncheon series, the discussion drew representatives from banking, healthcare, professional services, insurance, social media and philanthropy. 

The topic of the luncheon, “CSR in a Downturn Economy,” generated a lively discussion around the challenges experienced by corporate citizenship and corporate responsibility professionals in the past 18 months.  While decreased funding was an expected theme, the group also noted a number of other key trends resulting from current economic conditions including:

• Increased pressure to demonstrate value and ROI to the business
• Difficulty in coming up with new “wow” ideas while experiencing extenuating circumstances
• Internal turmoil surrounding the role of corporate philanthropy and the ownership of the social agenda
• Greater awareness of the disjointed nature of the many CSR initiatives that are underway both within and across corporations

In the context of these struggles, the group shared some approaches that they’ve applied to keep corporate responsibility and community involvement alive during tough times.  One participant said her organization has become more creative in the ways in which it gives.  “We are focused on developing deeper relationships – we commit to partnerships with other organizations that can help us close sales through our interaction with them.  Instead of just offering financial support, we’ll offer some of our professional expertise as a form of philanthropic giving.”  Others noted nontraditional support as well, including lending staff time, offering space or technology, or helping to place board members.

One luncheon attendee outlined his response to cuts in funding, naming the situation as an opportunity to be more innovative and efficient.  “This is a time when we have to do more with the same or less,” he said.  “I am leading my team to be more efficient in our giving processes, to get better data on our results and ask the hard questions, and to bring together the deconstructed pieces to make sure we have a cohesive strategy.”

Ultimately, the group agreed the past year’s economic climate will have a lasting effect on the way in which businesses engage in philanthropic activities.   As stated by one participant, “the days of just writing a check are over – it’s about getting results from our giving and the c-suite knows that now more than ever.  From now on, we’ll look at the CSR function just as any other function that must align with the business.”

Mission Measurement is proud to host Leaders in Social Innovation, a luncheon series that connects socially-minded individuals and Chicago's leading social change makers.  The luncheons are limited to 15 people on a first-to-RSVP basis.  If you would like to be invited to future luncheons or other social impact oriented events, please email us at RSVP@missionmeasurement.com.