Placing emphasis on SROI
If your answer is positive, then positively you belong among a vast majority of corporations that wish to plan strategies and suggest solutions, which truly cater for society’s needs, giving thus added value not only to society but also to the corporation themselves. As expected, the year 2013 made Social Return on Investment (SROI) stand out as key measurement tool for responsible companies operating locally or internationally, as it assists to understand, manage and communicate the social value that your work creates in a clear and consistent way with customers, beneficiaries and funders.
With the New Year 2014, quickly approaching and making crystal clear that SROI is here to stay, CSE being its basic scope to keep up with its groundbreaking actions in order to deliver correct and substantial information on Corporate and Social Responsibility issues, conducted with great success a Roundtable posing the next critical and begging question:
‘How can we measure the social effect of CSR strategies?
During the Roundtable emphasis was placed upon the challenges, which corporations confront regarding the investments in CSR actions and programs as well as upon the use of tools and international strategies like SROI, which could form the framework that measures Society coherent value.
Nikos Avlonas, CEO, stated: ‘With the existing economic climate, which is gradually recovering from recession, every contribution through corporate responsibility initiatives is of utmost importance not only for society but also for the survival of each and every corporation. Coherent value measurement of every social action managed with international standards will fundamentally contribute not only to society, but also to the corporations themselves and Non- Profit Organizations, which will make their benefits more transparent.’
The most valuable component for the round table and CSR as a whole, was the willingness of CSR representatives from companies like Coca- Cola Hellas, Novartis and Mamidoil Jetoil S.A. wishing to showcase their own corporate best practices. Why? Because when you are doing the right thing for the right reason at the right time, you will undoubtedly want to shout it out loud!
Clearly the combination of companies promoting and reinforcing principles of corporate social responsibility, and the eagerness to discover how SROI is measured in order to enhance or alter their strategies, represents a massive step towards standardizing sustainable development.
Since CSE establishment in 2005, it has supported and realized groundbreaking actions regarding corporate responsibility and also planned strategies that reinforce innovation and responsible business both on a national and international level as well. For this very reason CSE new Advanced Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Training (IEMA Approved), to be launched for the very 1st time in Dubai 2014, March 10 & 11, includes a module on SROI, the latest CSR trends in the region and best practices.
Keen to join? Find out more here or simply contact Elisabeth Lincoln – Training & Marketing Coordinator ([email protected])