In order to examine the motivation of entrepreneurs to undertake CSR activities, we asked them via LinkedIna what motivates them to carry out social responsibility activities in their companies. As many as 64% of them answered that it was the marketing potential, only 18% indicated that they were motivated by a real desire for change. And indeed CSR activities have a positive impact on the image of companies.
Moreover, before getting employed in a given company, employees take into account whether their future employer acts in favour of social responsibility. This was the response of 50% of New Marketing readers surveyed. 9% went a step further and said that CSR activities are crucial in the recruitment process. On the other hand, there is still a sizeable group of employees for whom CSR is of no importance in their search for employment – that is 42% of the respondents.
Business is not everything
– Our CEO once said that business is business, but business is not everything – says Iwona Dziedzic-Gawryś, PR Manager at DocPlanner, according to whom CSR activities are part of the company’s values and mission.
Patrycja Zbytniewska, CEO of LPP Foundation, Marcin Żukowski, co-founder of Nieagencja, and Sławomir Wiatr, CEO of PETHELP, think similarly.
Each of these entities conducts CSR activities.
DocPlanner
DocPlanner conducts both internal and external social responsibility activities. Among the internal ones, he lists: employee volunteering, team support in sports activities, organizing blood collections and campaigns encouraging employees to lead a healthy lifestyle.
– We cooperate with many public benefit organizations and foundations, such as WOŚP, with which we have been playing for 8 years now, as well as organizing the Finale Clinic ZnanyLekarz, where everyone can come and benefit from free medical and specialist consultations. We also support other foundations and organizations, e.g. Polki Mogą Wszystko Foundation and Santa Claus’ Qurier action. Every year we jointly organise a parcel or parcels for the most needy as part of the “Szlachetna Paczka” campaign – says Iwona Dziedzic-Gawryś.
DocPlanner also organises collections for animals, is involved in the PIER(w)SI TO RESEARCH and MOVEMBER campaigns and, together with Girls Code Fun, implements a programme of learning programming for children in Radom.
Nieagencja
Nieagencja donates 10% of each invoice to important social and environmental causes. In 2021, it donated these funds to the po DRUGIE Foundation, which supports youth at risk of the homelessness crisis, and to fund a special session of the Open Eyes Economy Summit entitled. “Climate Education.
– We want to work towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ourselves. We encourage our clients to do so as well. We believe that real value can be created by working in partnership and understanding the challenges faced by the other side, but most importantly by understanding the global challenges we all face (in business and as humanity)”, says Marcin Żukowski.
LPP Foundation
– From the very beginning, apart from our core activity, i.e. designing clothes, we have been carrying out aid activities for people in need and local communities. Over the years the scale of these activities reached such a size that in 2017 we decided to establish the LPP Foundation. Working with organisations in our environment, we focus on activities that allow us to respond to the real needs of people in difficult life situations and support young people at risk of exclusion – says Patrycja Zbytniewska.
An example is the “Fashion for a Better Start” initiative, under which the LPP Foundation has financed a series of educational, therapeutic and developmental classes for the wards of 17 children’s homes. The LPP Foundation has also organized the #LPPhelps campaign, during which it donated nearly 7 million PLN to over 300 medical institutions. Company employees were involved in the campaign.
PETHELP
One of the corporate social responsibility activities of PETHELP is the Programme for the Support of Adoption (PWA) of dogs and cats. As part of the action, anyone who adopts a dog or cat will receive a number of discounts from the startup to help take care of the pet’s health. Where did the idea for such a campaign come from?
From a survey conducted by PETHELP. It turned out that 70% of respondents did not want to adopt a pet for fear of high initial costs. – This is why we decided to encourage people to adopt animals, by supporting the reduction of start-up costs which may be associated with veterinary care, behaviourist or appropriate food and accessories – says Sławomir Wiatr.
In addition, PETHELP supports the student organisation IVSA (international and largest organisation of veterinary students) by organising webinars with veterinarians for them.
CSR – put profits aside
Apart from the fact that conducting CSR activities is useful for the society, it also positively influences the image of companies which undertake such activities.
– First of all, these activities translate into the desired perception of the company by employees and the environment – here I mean patients, customers, candidates, as well as greater recognition and, consequently, increased trust. For example, we often ask candidates how they found out about our company and what they know about it. This is where our CSR actions often come in – says Iwona Dziedzic-Gawryś.
Marcin Żukowski has similar observations. Some of Nieagencja’s employees got employed there because they had heard about the company’s CSR activities.
At the same time, my interlocutors warn that undertaking CSR activities will not bring immediate benefits. It takes time, a willingness to help others and, ultimately, disinterestedness – CSR is supposed to be useful, not profitable.
