Online corporate social responsibility and its benefits

In this new-age world where advanced technologies are all the rage with the internet at the forefront, most companies are focused on maintaining a significant online profile.

Keeping their website fresh and updated, providing the best information, showing off the snazziest homepage designs and maintaining a user-friendly interface are the order of the day.

However, one of the less-known ways in which companies can make use of the internet is through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes.

Although firms are still active through their community-based projects, the ease of access and widespread scope of the internet make it a perfect tool for their work.

For starters, a company can clearly outline its CSR policies and activities on its website to make any charities potentially interested in a link-up aware of their approach to fundraising work.

This might include a listing of the charities it offers corporate support to or examples of individual voluntary work by the company's employees.

Other resources can be used internally, such as using a charity search engine like Everyclick as the company’s intranet homepage.

One organisation which champions the benefits of using online resources to implement CSR programmes is Business in the Community (BITC), which encourages firms to improve their positive impact on society.

It offers companies a tailored policy relating to the CSR opportunities in their local area, such as in schools, and helps them to action it through innovative online methods.

As John Heaslip, chief executive of the Northern Ireland branch of the organisation, explains: "They might send employees to spend an hour a week reading one-on-one with disadvantaged kids.

"And that might be the only time that that particular kid gets read to, and make a real difference to the child's life. But it can be immensely rewarding for the employee, too."

One such technology the BITC uses is MS Forms Server, which can be used to get feedback following charity-based events and to conduct online satisfaction surveys for anyone involved in them.

In conclusion, it would appear that the message is clear - using the medium of the internet has major benefits for both parties involved in CSR programmes, the companies and the charities.

And, perhaps most importantly, it improves the process of providing much-needed funds and support to those who are the subject of their work.