There's CSR and BoP, but How About ISR for the MOP?

• Posted by EJ Wensing
• On October 06, 2008


• Interests: Corporate Social Responsibility

Most of us share some understanding about corporate social responsibility (CSR) especially as it can relate to the poorest socio-economic group at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP).

In this post I introduce how the group of people I work with at Ecosphere Net want to take it further.

One of the questions we’re asking is, “what about individual social responsibility (ISR) for those of us at the middle of the pyramid (MoP)”?

Especially as it occurs within the corporations we work for and as it relates to their CSR.

Our reasoning is that while CSR is vital, just attaining CSR globally will likely not be enough for global sustainability. Change comes from within. Through ISR not only from within a corporation but also after the corporates leave from within their office buildings and factories at 5 pm.

While it is great, as Quinn McKew suggested in his September 25th The Goal: Thoughtless Environmentalism post on the Just Means’ All things Reconsidered blog, that we are moving toward a world where people might become an “efficient, environment-positive consumer without even realizing it” this passive osmotic approach may not be enough and perhaps shouldn’t be our only goal. Why not include, dare I say, “incorporate” an active process as well?

While how a corporation relates to the world and the environment at large is CSR, ISR is about how the individuals within a corporation relate to each other, to the world and to the environment. So, ISR takes action and works within the corporation to not only help generate the SR in CSR but also the SR in the world at large after the office doors close for the day. This is ISR in action.

I just returned from a directors meeting in Hong Kong of a multinational that may be on the verge of taking a big first step in getting there. Here’s how.

Teach synergy and sustainability not as a defined static workshop but as a process in action and in evolution.

Synergy is team building with a twist (well…actually more than a twist…See Synergic Inquiry: A Collaborative Action Methodology, 2006, Tang and Joiner, NY: Sage)

Build the synergy processes and actions and then introduce education for sustainability.

The line of reasoning goes like this:

If you develop synergy between the various divisions of a corporation then they will invariably begin to look over their fence beyond the boundaries of their selves and into their communities to see the world around them. Some too will invariably even hop the fence to help out. In fact, you can make that part of it.

Corporate types are competitive. They like challenges and they like to achieve goals. Once the comfort with the process of synergy is in place participants are ready for education for sustainability and, most importantly, eager to engage in actions for sustainability within their corporation, within their communities and within their own lives. And that is good for everybody.

I saw this process in action in Hong Kong, there was unanimous and concerted engagement across the cultures from Sweden, Korea, China and Canada that were present.

ISR can lead the way to expanding CSR and achieving global sustainability.

EJ Wensing
Founder, Ecosphere Net

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