Frank Mantero, director of corporate citizenship at General Electric, discussed corporate social responsibility (CSR) and it's role in PR and driving business growth.
15. Reporting Policy Business 05-06 06-07 08-Present NYC London NYC Brussels Hong Kong NYC Geneva Washington Delhi NYC Sao Paolo Beijing GE Stakeholder Convening Process This dialogue has allowed us to better understand how our business goals can be aligned with commonly held social goals. The counsel we received helped strengthen our citizenship mission.
33. Integrated Citizenship Approach Optimizes resource utilization & shareholder value Leverage Company strengths Business Operations citizenship Strengthens operations & enable insights Our CSR Strategy is our Business Strategy People Process Technology Operational Excellence
34. Where Do Reputations Come From? Stakeholder Perceptions Corporate Messaging Branding Activities Sponsorship Initiatives PR/IR Events CSR Programs Media Conversation Print Broadcast Internet Stakeholder Experiences Product Quality Customer Service Investment Performance Treatment of Employees Reputation
We must run GE with excellence and accountability. Simplify strategies and focus on execution, thereby meeting our commitments. Focus on margins and cash. And we must be relentless on cost. We want to be prepared as the economy slows. This is a smart way to run the company given the economy.
Edison said it best: “ I find out what the world needs, then I proceed to invent it.” That’s our purpose. That’s what we do. That’s… imagination at work.
High level review According to a McKinsey study, Companies are expected to be more responsive to a broader spectrum of society, especially as issues expand It is beyond “giving back” If we are giving back, what are we taking? Environment Human rights Governance Supply chain Companies can either identify and manage these issues early, to their advantage, or be left behind, creating greater risk
A few trends—impact to various functions, with Communications at its core More transparency into what Companies are doing in their communities and society in general Potential regulation, already being discussed in Europe, to mandate CSR reporting, similar to financial reporting Financial consequences as the SRI universe grows in the US and worldwide. Corporate citizenship has moved beyond practice.. Stakeholder want reporting and information beyond philanthropy and community relations, especially with the focus on globalization Communications plays a critical role in managing and leveraging these trends
How so? More customers are looking for companies that have established and well reported citizenship practices… Helps a communicator stay ahead of upcoming issues. Gary and Sebastian covered issues management in the September chat… Corporate citizenship enables communicators to stay close to stakeholders and identify potential emerging issues Other facets where it is relevant for the communicator—Employee communications, media relations, etc. Bottom line, it is important that (1) you understand what are the key drivers behind your business strategy and what are the issues behind it and (2) know who the influencers and stakeholders are for your business
Build your own four-point plan and tell your story, your way. Be visible and present internally. Make sure you are touching as many people as you can. Ensure that we bring people together and act with unyielding integrity. Externally, we need to tell our story with strong PR. We need to respond to every inaccurate or hyperbolic article and drive our reputation. Vision for a Better GE: You have the responsibility to build a new company. Maybe these tough times are an opportunity to look in your closet and get rid of some things you have carried around for a while. 2009 will be tough for everyone—don’t come out of it the same old GE.
… and that future will look like Masdar City. It’s an initiative co-founded by GE that will create a model of the future—zero waste, carbon neutral, car-free, and powered by renewable energy. It will also house a university assisted by MIT. In addition, we are building the fifth Global Research Center in the heart of the city. Initially named the Clean Energy Technology Center, it will, naturally, focus on clean energy. By partnering with Mubadala to create the future of this region, GE is creating its own future.
Remember.. As we covered the three key areas of How Citizenship is defined Why it Matters And how to Communicate it I hope you have a better understanding of why it is Establish trust with the stakeholders you engage Be fast, clear and humble when you have an issue Be transparent when possible… bringing stakeholders into your business can only make you better
Investor repurcussions
Every 2 seconds, a GE (or CFM) powered aircraft takes off.
Leverage GE’s strengths The practices and policies that make GE a strong operating culture feed and strengthen our approach to Citizenship
Whereas HDCT demonstrates the potential of our innovation, the Middle East demonstrates the potential of our relationships —the third point in our strategy. With our company-to-country approach, our partnerships are not only producing innovative products and services, they’re transforming entire regions.