80% of the world’s largest companies now have a Corporate Responsibility Report per a recent article in the Moscow Times. In previous entries we have discussed that Green PR is a subset of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Now CSR is being shortened to a term I like quite a bit more, Corporate Responsibility (CR). I think CR is a better umbrella term which encompasses the triple bottom line of CSR: Planet, People, Profits.

In tough economic times some companies find themselves trying to justify budget for going Green or socially responsible programs. As often as customers will listen,  I share the PilmerPR philisophy that CSR should be woven into the very fabric of who we are as a company.  This article I read today in the Financial Times does a great job of exploring the issues around commitment to CSR in today’s economic environment.

PilmerPR CR mantra: “First be good, then talk about being good.” In that order.

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I’ve worked a bunch in the technology field, so I’m used to seeing acronyms thrown around like toy footballs from cheerleaders in a college stadium at the season opener. Other industries use them as well. The military has a ton of them. As a Public Relations firm, we constantly remind clients to talk in “people talk” without the use of acronyms, unless they are ubiquitous like “TV” or “FBI” or “DVD.”

So, here’s a test. I make assumptions about the acronym “CSR.” What does it stand for? I think the majority of people have the same definition as I, but do you really?

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This article found in UK-based Press & Journal makes me crazy. First, it speaks to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as if it’s another marketing program that may or may not get budget this next year. Then, it tries to position the support of athletes aspiring for professional positions as somehow a higher calling in life for the planet and it’s people. Now, support the advancement of teachers in the inner city or the education of orphans of fallen police officers. That’s responsibility. But athelete’s?

As a former football player (American) with season tickets to my alma mater college team (BYU), I’m a fan of atheletics. But, I’m not convinced by the characterization of the cited ”programme” outlined in the Queen’s English.  No, I’m not dissing* the UK and my son has tickets for our local pro soccer team (real football – REAL Salt Lake) just to keep us balanced.

However, CSR is a term that is more fundamental to who we are, not what program we support. That’s my take from this side of the pond. Cheers!

CSR Not Optional

Remember the PilmerPR rule #1 of CSR: “First be good – then, talk about being good.”

Support young atheletes in the inner city to get them more education-maybe.

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*dissing: Originated in Jamaican Vernacular English, perhaps originally short for disrespect or disparage. (source: Wiktionary.com)

Image from E-Commerce News

You heard it as a child: “Actions speak louder than words.” The same is true in public relations. Crafted statements and press releases can be effective communication tools only as far as they match reality.

Facebook is a recent example. Despite their continual claims that user privacy was important, they gradually loosened the privacy restrictions, making status updates publicly visible and sharing likes/dislikes with third-party sites by default. Only when users revolted would they temporarily step back, as they are doing now. The unspoken message: user privacy is secondary to company growth.

BP officially says it will pay “all legitimate claims” resulting from the gulf coast oil spill. Those were good words for the coastal states to hear. Since then, BP has fought Congress against raising its $75 million legal liability cap, and will not clarify what is or is not “legitimate.” The unspoken message: BP will not be pressured to do more than it feels necessary.

BP has been forced to battle an aggressive US government as the administration sends the unspoken message that it is seeking to avoid blame being placed on the President. To sound presidential, President Obama has placed a moratorium on offshore drilling for six months so we can properly study the situation and avoid a repeat. However, because the President gave a positive message for new offshore drilling just weeks before the gulf oil disaster, the unstated message is “I am a waffler, willing to follow the polls. And, I don’t really know what I was doing endorsing oil exploration just a few weeks ago.”

John Pilmer, president of PilmerPR, commented on this issue when asked by E-Commerce News about a recent change in Microsoft’s leadership. Robbie Bach, president of the company’s entertainment and devices division (responsible for the Xbox, Zune and other gadgets) is stepping down along with J Allard, a senior vice president in the division. Microsft’s CEO, Steve Ballmer, is stepping in and taking charge.

According to Ballmer (officially quoted in PC Magazine) Bach’s resignation is only possible due to his success:

“Robbie’s an amazing business person and close personal friend, which makes his departure a point of sadness for me,” Ballmer said. “However, given the strong leadership team he has built, the business performance of E&D this year and the launches of Windows Phone 7 and ‘Project Natal’ this fall, we are set up well for success as we continue to drive our mobile and entertainment businesses forward.”

John points out what the shake-up really says about Microsoft’s entertainment and devices division:

The shakeup is as much about sending a message as it is about internal operations, according to John Pilmer, president of Pilmer PR, who has worked with Microsoft and its partners for more than a decade.

Redmond wants to assure the market that it is on top of its problems and will compete in — and dominate — the space, Pilmer told the E-Commerce Times.

The market is also hearing an unspoken message, he said — that Microsoft is not getting the job done, and the competition is “kicking our trash.”

Read the full article at E-Commerce News.

PilmerPR works closely with clients to develop positive messaging that highlights successes and opportunities, and matches the good work the company is doing. You can also learn more about how PilmerPR can help with crisis management.

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Today is Earth Day, which means you will probably hear a lot about companies “Going Green.”

Many executives and entrepreneurs wonder if it makes economic sense to do the same. How does Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), in any of its manifestations (“Green” being just one), affect the bottom line?

John Pilmer, APR, recently addressed this issue at the 2010 Entrepreneurial Business Conference at Utah Valley University. This year’s theme was “Prosper in Hard Times… Opportunities Await!” John believes that there are many untouched opportunities to be a leader in CSR and Green business.

Sections from John’s full presentation are available in the video below. He provides solid examples of Utah companies that are making a difference to both the environment and investors, why CSR makes economic sense, and how it can garner national media attention for your business.

For a personal consultation on how CSR and Green initiatives can help your business, visit our contact page.

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The average American produces 4.6 pounds per day. That means the whole nation produces 251 million tons per year.

Many people have ideas to reduce that amount. And despite a common conception, many of the ideas can be more profitable than the status quo.

Photo by Kristin Heinichen, Daily Herald

A group of BYU students, for example, found that Kenyans are often compelled to buy overpriced plastic bottles of water, or face deadly water-borne contamination from cheaper water sources. The ultimatum is not only terrible for their health, it doesn’t make economic sense.

From the Daily Herald article:

“Currently, people’s needs are being overserved,” [Marere co-founder Kyle] Freebairn said of water bottles, deeming them superfluous to the basic need of thirst. “If you give them a utility they don’t need, you are forcing them to pay a higher price point than their optimum need.”

The students are working to solve the problem by selling 17-ounce polyethylene bags of water for half the price of bottles. Kenyans just bite the corner of the bag for water. It reduces trash, saves lives, and will likely out-sell the bottled competition.

“Marere is financially sustainable, but socially we’re using business and capitalism and natural incentives to drive the quality of life up; it’s very rewarding,” [Freebairn] said.

A second company is making headlines by trying to eliminate trash all together!

That is ambitious goal of TerraCycle, a company that produces everything from kites to spray-bottles entirely out of trash. They call it “upcycling,” and it, too, is paying off. They already have big contracts with stores like Walmart, K-Mart, Target and Home Depot. The products work just as well as well as their made-from-scratch counterparts, and are even cheaper to produce.

Watch the video below about their compelling business model:

PilmerPR supports socially responsible business, and has helped many clients successfully promote green innovations. If you have a business, or know of a business, that is looking for effective Green Public Relations, please let us know on our contact page.

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The Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF) appointed John Pilmer as its 2010 chairman.

As chairman, John oversees all Forum activities and management.

“This is an exciting place and time to be an entrepreneur,” Pilmer said in the official press release. “Organizations like Forbes and Inc. recognize Utah as a leader in aspiring businesses. As the economy turns around, investors and lenders are ready to put their money into promising ventures, and they look to Utah for compelling start-ups and exceptional entrepreneurs. UVEF is ready to make the most of this unique opportunity.”

John understands the challenges entrepreneurs face, and the strategies that can help them succeed. He founded PilmerPR in 2003, which specializes in small-business public relations. PilmerPR helped launch successful businesses like Mozy, ElectraTherm, iFollo and eComfort. PilmerPR, itself, has continued to grow and win numerous awards.

UVEF is a volunteer non-profit support group that helps entrepreneurs and small-business in Utah succeed through education and networking. John succeeds Roger Andrus, Executive Director of UtahAngels and Business Development Corporation of Provo, as UVEF chairman.

See the Official Press Release

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Watch John Pilmer explain the benefits of UVEF membership, and the state of entrepreneurship in Utah:

Yesterday, I heard Louis Pope speak to the Utah Valley Entrepreneurial Forum (UVEF.net) as he received recognition as Social Entrepreneur of the Year. Louis thinks globally, about our back yard in Utah, about our back yard to the world. In his acceptance remarks, he said more than a billion people live in extreme poverty-less than $1/day. However, his comments were not gloom and doom. He spoke of the net reduction of that number over the past several years because of efforts to create jobs.

In PilmerPR’s work in social responsibility (CSR) we tell clients to first “be good, then talk about being good.” Louis and his company are the best examples of this that I know of. He could likely afford to retire to anywhere he chooses. What he chooses to do is lift people by the thousands and to inspire others to do the same. He, Yehu Microfinance, and US Synthetic have truly inspired me. Thank you Louis.

Great story about Louis Pope on KSL TV

What does Wal-Mart and the United States government have in common? Answer: buying power. According to USAspending.gov, the U.S. government spends more than $500 billion in products and services each year from roughly 230,000 different companies. It is the world’s largest buyer of goods and services. Wal-Mart is the world’s largest consumer products retailer, buying roughly $300 billion each year in products it sells in retail stores from more than 100,000 different companies.

The U.S. government and Wal-Mart’s buying power are influential in setting the stage for corporate social responsibility requirements. According to Information Management, the U.S. government and Wal-Mart will begin phasing in corporate social responsibility requirements for their suppliers and vendors over the next few years. Read more at Utah Business Magazine.

Obama is talking about it. Gap, Hewlett Pack (HP) and Timberland are talking about it. Neighbors, executives and world politicians are also talking about it. What are they are all talking about? … Answer: Social Responsibility.

A recent article in Time magazine written by managing editor, Richard Stengel, introduced the idea of a new kind of consumer. “We are again entering a period of social change as Americans are recalibrating our sense of what it means to be a citizen, not just through voting or volunteering but also through commerce: by what we buy. There is a new dimension to civic duty that is growing in America – it’s the idea that we can serve not only by spending time in our communities and classrooms but by spending more responsibly. We are starting to put our money where our ideals are.”

Never in the history of capitalism has social responsibility played such an important role. Gone are the days of cheap talk and sparse metrics to prove the importance of corporate social responsibility. In fact, according to a recent poll in Time magazine, 40 percent of all respondents said they purchased a product in 2009 because they liked the social or political values of the company that produced it. From that same poll, 82 percent said they have consciously supported local or neighborhood business this year. Read more at Utah Business Magazine.