By Cortney Wright

CSI initiatives have been said to have many distinct advantages and of course when they are done in the public domain, people will notice. Hilda du Toit, marketing manager at Abraham Kriel Childcare says that two of the most important things when it comes to CSI initiatives are transparency and accountability. With these two elements present and done right, she believes employee commitment and loyalty can be built. After all, most companies want their customers to view them in an honest light, as loyalty gains customer commitment.

Today, Du Toit states that the majority of companies are giving back to the community in some way or another. And it’s needed. “It is obvious what difference these companies are making in communities provided they proclaim it. What is not so obvious is how social responsibility reflects on these companies. Effective programmes can change your business relations, share values and customer loyalty.” What is more, if a company is running a CSI initiative that involves going green for example, and one of their clients is interested in the same thing, they share a common value which in turn supports customer relations. Such people who take part in CSI initiatives are, according to Du Toit, considered ‘captains’ of the industry by the media. Now, that should surely set off a positive image for your company.

Taking a look at a successful and unique CSI initiative can also clarify the effect that it can have on a company’s image.

Earlier this year, Media24 Cape Town launched its biggest CSI initiative which showcased it desire to give back but in a different way. This was part of Media24’s ‘Giving Space to Grow’ initiative, which was aimed at community development and growth, and involved donating R24-million worth of advertising space in its publications. The money would be given to 12 non-governmental organisations and 12 small medium micro enterprises, with each receiving R1-million. The publications where this money (or space) can be spent includes Media24’s magazines, newspapers and online sites and the chosen organisations have until 31 December this year to use it.

So far this initiative has made a significant difference in the visibility of these organisations. “With ‘Giving you space to Grow’ we are focusing our contribution to socio-economic development and enterprise development on making a real difference within the context of broad-based black economic empowerment,” says Esmaré Weideman, CEO of Media24.

It also allows for something else. In doing any CSI initiative, you can differentiate yourself from other organisations, and especially from your direct competitors. “There are many different ways of getting involved with projects in South Africa. Merely dishing out money is not always the answer,” project manager Adrie Jurgensen says.

To contribute to the campaign, other South African publications got involved. YOU, Go! and Finweek have chosen “partners” that fit in with their various brands from this list of 24 organisations. The titles will report about these organisations to support their work in the communities. There is no better way of showing your support for something then by actually getting involved yourself.

So, what one can learn from this? It’s that if a company is taking part in a CSI initiative, then it should be advertised in the public domain. Let your clients and employees know what you are doing to make a difference. Also, think of unique ways of giving back as there are always charities that are in need of help, so doing something out of the box is what will differentiate you.

Taking part in other CSI initiatives is also a great idea for showing that you are not just about the money coming into your business. By doing this you can gain the loyalty of not only your customers but also the customers of that specific organisation. And most importantly, conceptualise an initiative that will have a long term impact.

What do you think? Is using CSI initiatives a good idea for changing the image of your company? Let us know.