The piece was published last week on mUmBRELLA and received a number of comments, both positive (”Good to have the topic discussed candidly”) and negative (”[This is] a 100% dorky piece, hiding under a LOOK-AT-ME headline”)!

To see all the comments and have your say go to http://tinyurl.com/2cobsxj

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“Corporate social responsibility is dead” - Nic Mackay, April 2010

Corporate social responsibility – otherwise known as ‘CSR’ – is dead.

For those who only recently found out what it is: I’m sorry. For those who think that the only thing CSR refers to is the sugar company: don’t worry, you haven’t missed anything. Both in terminology and in practical operation, CSR is completely outdated.

I’m not suggesting that corporate engagement in ‘doing good’ is unimportant. On the contrary, I believe that it actually represents the future of corporate success. However, there is no room for CSR in that future, and the sooner we realise it the better off we will all be.

CSR emerged out of the traditional view of what it means to be a company. This view stipulated that companies exist to generate profit and that the pursuit of ‘purpose’ (ie: doing good, both socially and environmentally) should be the focus of organisations in the non-profit/social sector.

Until recently, the vast majority of companies operated according to this traditional view, and while many did engage in doing good, they did not regard it as part of their core business. Rather, corporate engagement in doing good was thought of as an entirely separate endeavour, and was assigned its own structure and label: corporate social responsibility.

However, in recent years, forward-thinking companies have begun to see CSR for what is it: a largely tokenistic, inauthentic approach to doing good, which operates as an adjunct to a company’s core business. Moreover, CSR does little if anything to generate commercial returns and, in some cases, it completely undermines a company’s commercial aspirations.

In response, those same forward-thinking companies have taken steps to unify the concepts of profit and purpose, thus signalling the death of CSR.

This shift is taking place in a number of areas.

In marketing, we have witnessed the rise of CRM (cause related marketing). The most recent example of this is PepsiCo, which this year pulled its US Super Bowl ad-buy for the first time in 23 years. It did so in order to establish the Pepsi Refresh Project, which is providing US$20 million in grants for local organizations and causes proposed by the public in realms like health, arts and culture, the environment and education.

In annual reporting, many companies are now choosing to declare not only their financial results but also their impact on the community and the environment, in what has become known as the Triple Bottom Line (“people, planet, profit”).

Finally, many of the world’s leading companies are striving to fully integrate their commitment to doing good throughout every aspect of their business in order to realise the goal of ‘sustainability’. The list of companies committed to becoming sustainable includes some seemingly unlikely names such as Nike, Nestle & Coca-Cola, which not so long ago were regarded as the epitome of corporate evil, but which now recognise the opportunity and imperative to engage in this new approach to doing good.

All of this poses a significant challenge for Australian companies and, in particular, Australian marketers. CSR is dead and in its place is a commitment to integrate doing good within the core business of a company. Regardless of what we term this new approach – ‘sustainability’, ‘good business’ or something else entirely – it represents the future of corporate success from a social, environmental and commercial perspective.

The problem is that most Australian companies are a long way behind. If the US-based Pepsi Refresh Project is an example of forward-thinking business, then its Australian counterpart, Pepsi Hit Refresh, is the antithesis. While it may sound similar, Hit Refresh is nothing more than a glorified treasure hunt, offering free prizes and absolutely no social or environmental change.

Australian companies need to catch up with the rest of the world. Moreover, I believe Australian companies have a huge opportunity to exercise a leadership role. However, the key to success in this area is inextricably linked to authenticity, both regarding the work itself and also the communication thereof. This requires something that rarely comes naturally in the marketing world: honesty.

Be honest about what the company is doing well. Be honest about what it needs to do better. Communicate the company’s desire to go beyond CSR and integrate its commitment to doing good throughout the business… and actually mean it.

On 17th March, the Rotary Club of Melbourne named Nic as one of their Young Achievers of the Year for 2010. Nic received his award at a ceremony at the Hotel Windsor in Melbourne, where he was also awarded with the Sir Albert Coates Young Achiever of the Year for 2010.

Nic rushed from the ceremony to the airport, where he caught a plane to Sydney in order to speak at the “Battle of Big Thinking” at Carriageworks in Redfern. The Battle was a TED-esq event but with a competitive element, where the audience voted on who they thought were the biggest thinkers.

Nic arrived just in time for his speech, which was the final of the day. He spoke on the topic of “Companies Doing Good: the purpose vs. profit dichotomy” and was awarded best speaker in the Government/Social category.

Nic’s speech was reviewed in the online media/marketing magazine, Mumbrella. You can read the article here: http://mumbrella.com.au/battle-of-big-thinking-part-5-incentives-for-altruism-microfinance-companies-doing-good-21117

Video footage of Nic’s speech will be available shortly and will be posted on this site.

You can read our thoughts about corporate engagement in positive social change via Twitter and engage in debate about companies doing good through our Facebook page.

Click on the buttons in the upper right corner of this page to follow us on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

JOB TITLE:
Business Development Manager

COMMENCEMENT DATE:
February 2010

EMPLOYMENT STATUS:
Full Time

REPORTS TO:
Managing Director

SUPPORT FROM:
Managing Director, Company Directors, Office Admin

LOCATION:
Sydney

ROLE SUMMARY:

• The Business Development Manager will generate revenue from both existing clients and new relationships in order to increase the profitability of the business.
• They will be the driving force in developing the existing business model and will play an integral role in realising the business ambition of growth in the Australian (and international) market.
• They will oversee revenue forecasting and will work in collaboration with senior management to maximise efficiency of output.
• They will drive sales across multiple business units (including “sister” company, TCO)

KEY DELIVERABLES:

• Refine the business plan, commercial strategy and financial projections for the company
• Strategically identify key clients, both new and existing
• Assist Managing Director in the development and delivery of sales collateral
• Take the lead role in closing deals with clients
• Refine methodology that aligns client issues and opportunities with the business offering
• Set and manage revenue targets
• Assist in the accurate reporting of sales and revenue performance for the business
• Drive profitability against the business offering by ensuring all commercial propositions are correctly monetised, packaged and delivered efficiently
• Maximise the effectiveness and efficiencies of project management
• Work in partnership with the Managing Director to identify and commit to budget phasing
• Maintain a good knowledge and awareness of competitive activity
• Work in partnership with Managing Director to devise a strategy for future growth

SKILLS/ATTRIBUTES:

• Commercial and outcome oriented, defining success through achievement
• Ability to develop and execute a strategy that meets both client and business needs
• Proven success in business procurement
• Ability to conduct outcome driven negotiations while maintaining integrity and relationships
• Connected and engaged with social change, possibly partly defined as someone involved in cause related work
• Adept in building, maintaining and developing strong relationships with clients and external partners
• Expertise in identifying and delivering current and future business growth opportunities
• Relevant working knowledge of new media and marketing
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Ability to manage time and priorities, differentiating between important and urgent activities
• Significant experience in working collaboratively

HOURS:
Business Development Manager hours are self-directed and require a specific commitment to the vision and objectives of The Human Race.

PACKAGE:
$70,000 p/a negotiable + commission fee

Please send your application, consisting of a CV and cover letter addressing the skills/attributes outlined above, to nic@thehumanrace.com.au by 5pm on Friday 29th January 2010.

Candidates considered for this role will be contacted shortly.

The Choir performed 14 concerts over 3 weeks in VIC, NSW, ACT & WA, receiving massive media coverage. They also spent time connecting with Australian high schools students through cultural exchange “festivals” and recorded a collaborative song with top Australian band Evermore.

Nic wrote the feature article that appeared in the concert program for the tour. The text of the article is below.

“We Are All Connected” - by Nic Mackay

I’ll be honest with you: I’ve never actually written a feature article before. I’m pretty sure that I should use this opportunity to share incredible wisdom or deliver remarkable insight. Unfortunately for you, I’m not sure I’ve got any to offer! What I can offer is the major life lesson that I’ve learned over the past 5 years, which may not be incredibly wise or remarkably insightful, but will at least make you feel as though you’re back at school!

The lesson is this: we are all connected. Whether we like it or not, we are all citizens of the world. Moreover, what happens on the other side of the globe can have a massive impact on us living in Australia. Swine flu is a perfect example. The Global Financial Crisis is another. And this impact goes both ways. In other words, what we do (or don’t do) in Australia can have a huge effect on people living in places that we’ve never even heard of.

In my opinion, this interconnectedness creates a need to respond for two reasons. First, out of a moral obligation. If there are people suffering in other parts of the world and our actions have the ability to alleviate that suffering then we need to do something. And not out of a sense of charity, but rather justice. Because charity doesn’t come close to expressing the moral imperative that exists to act. It’s not a “shame” that millions of children don’t have access to primary education. It’s not a “pity” that women in developing countries don’t enjoy basic human rights. It’s an absolute disgrace. There is no justification and there never will be for one person receiving more privilege than another purely by virtue of birth.

Second, if we’re not convinced by the moral obligation, we should nonetheless respond out of enlightened self-interest. Put simply, if one of us prospers then we all prosper. Conversely, if one of us fails then we all fail. This effect may not be immediate but over time we will see the consequences of enshrined inequality. Again, the GFC is a perfect example. The world’s financial system has for too long been built on a foundation that sought to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, and in recent times it has all come crashing down. Ironically, the biggest losers are not those who had benefited most from the previous system but rather those in developing countries who were already struggling to make their way up the ladder of development. However, as with all crises, the GFC also offers a remarkable opportunity. In particular, it provides an opportunity to rewrite the rules of international trade to allow developing countries to compete on an equal playing field. Such an approach may not rebuild our financial system in the fastest way but it will rebuild it in the strongest way. As developing countries prosper they bring more wealth to the table of international trade – wealth that is eventually shared with all nations and peoples throughout the world.

This lesson of interconnectedness provides much of the motivation for the “Collaboration 4 Change” project. I appreciate that when times are tough it becomes easy to look within, to ourselves and to our immediate families. This is essential because families should be there for us when we need them most. But we also need to recognise that we are part of a bigger family: a global family. As such, our focus also needs to be on the people around us, both down the street and across the ocean.

We need to ask ourselves what we can do to improve the lives of those in need, not out of charity but out of a desire for justice. This does not involve handouts and it may not involve money. Rather it requires a desire to partner with our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world.

Perhaps this is done through choosing to sponsor a child or buying fair trade coffee. Perhaps it’s through lobbying your local MP regarding Australia’s obligations under the Millennium Development Goals, which arguably constitute the clearest road map to ending extreme poverty that the world has ever known. Or perhaps it’s purely by coming to one of these concerts and being inspired by the incredible story of South Africa and people’s ability to triumph over adversity.

One thing is certain. When we recognise and embrace our interconnectedness and come together in collaboration, the change we can create is nothing short of extraordinary.

GPP has recently begun the Australasian Launch of it’s presentation “1.4 Billion Reasons”. The presentation has attracted capacity audiences in Melbourne and Sydney and is currently on its way to Brisbane.

Find out more about the presentation at the GPP website (www.globalpovertyproject.com). There you can also see the TV Commerical that was shot for the presentation by GPP ambassador Hugh Jackman.

Hugh Evans recently appreared on “9am with David and Kim” to chat about the presentation. Watch the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHPvJwb8W_U

We had it 100% custom built, fitted and painted to match The Human Race logo and colours.

• The logo and frame paint-job by WISHART DESIGN [Surry Hills, Australia]
• The Bike by Geekhouse Bikes [Boston, USA]
• The build by Velofix [Rozelle, Australia]

Look out for Nic & Clive riding their way to THR meetings on this baby!

There is more than a little deja vu surrounding both these incidents. Scandal is not new in the sporting world and nor is the innevitable fall out. In a sphere where the actions of one individual can taint a team, a league and sport in general, sponsors take a big risk when choosing to associate their brand.

Am I saying that all sponsors should abandon sport? No. Nor am I saying that sport is not worth supporting. Sport is an essential part of the Australian identity and sponsorship thereof can bring great commercial value.

Rather, I’m suggesting that sponsors need to be more careful about how they choose to spend their marketing money, particularly when it comes to  sport. The millions upon millions of dollars that are poured into sports sponsorship have the potential to make an incredible difference, particularly if they are linked to creating positive change both within sport and more generally. However, they also have the ability to be a huge waste of money if a sponsor’s brand is tainted by association with scandal.

Moreover, sports leagues and clubs need to be proactive in their work to limit scandals and promote positive exposure. Whether we like it or not, sports stars are role models. Leagues and clubs have a choice: they can help to mould players into positive role models in every area of their lives, or they can ignore misdemeanours and hope that they never become the source of public outrage. It’s clear that the latter option isn’t an option.

Hugh, who is currently studying at Cambridge University in the UK, returned to Australia in order to set a record for the most activities undertaken by a single person in a 28 day period… and he didn’t disappoint!  Hugh launched his new book “The Future By Us” at a function in Canberra that was attended by PM Kevin Rudd (who wrote the foreword for the book), began the Australian activation of the Global Poverty Project, and took part in a photo shoot for Who Weekly’s Most Beautiful People!

Most importantly, Hugh also attended a number of meetings with The Human Race. Hugh, Nic & Clive met with a number of companies including American Express, Network 10, Telstra, Google & Startrack Express. Some great progress was made and there are a number of exciting possibilities on the horizon.

Hugh returned to the UK on Saturday where he will no doubt be catching up with his new friends Gordon Brown and the Queen!