CCSR – Practising a Concept with an Unknown Name

Katharina Sigl

Although numerous economic journals and daily newspapers in German-speaking countries frequently call attention to the subject of corporate culture and social responsibility (CCSR) and contribute to its promulgation, the amazing thing is that a number of studies, above all those focussing on Austria’s small and medium-sized enterprises, show that the term CCSR is still widely unknown.

And yet, many companies are concerned with the concept of sustainability and show commitment in the areas of personnel, the environment and society.
In a word: The basic idea of CCSR is being practised here, but the name is unfamiliar. The lengthy English term may be acting as a deterrent and thus preventing more intensive examination of the broad opportunities offered by CCSR as well as of the risks involved. A reflection on initiatives undertaken in this connection thus depends substantially on the professional understanding of a company, or rather its management personnel. Hence, in most companies the question of whether sponsoring should be an option does not arise. But quite generally, sponsoring by companies always requires, to begin with, the assurance of a clearly defined, usually promotionally effective or media-oriented quid pro quo. This is not the case with CCSR activities, where the voluntary element is paramount. One thing, however, is common to both sponsoring and CCSR: Talking about both of them, as well as building up relationships with (usually) new stakeholders, enhances a company’s reputation and can thereby help to increase the value of the company as a whole. When a company becomes involved in an initiative that promotes societal values and interests, for example in the area of education, projects develop which, as the example of Leonardino shows, generate high acceptance on the part of all stakeholder groups.
The project Leonardino was conceived for primary school children and their teachers. Each school received a box of experiments relating to air and air pressure. The teachers were given special training. The school experimented for six months and at the finale, the “Leonardino Contest”, the gold, silver and bronze Leonardinos were awarded. The Leonardino mascot was designed by an established illustrator in Austria and brought to life by a young, committed ceramicist. The objective of the project was to inspire curiosity and interest in physical and technical subjects, as a contribution to remedying the lack of skilled technicians in the long term. An initiative like this, which combines education, art and business, requires long-term thinking in its conception.
CCSR always has to be based on sustainability, which is a dimension often to be found only in family-owned businesses, usually in the sector of small and medium-sized enterprises, and which – precisely in this area – is breathing life into an unknown name.
www.leonardino.at