Being good is nothing for which we need to apologise

by Mervin Straughan, of CSR Consortium member StraughanConsulting Ltd

Challenging economic times sometimes prompt concerns about the extent to which organisations should go in promoting their CSR credentials. There can be an almost apologetic tenor to the ways in which they describe their efforts, particularly when it means the organisation is downsizing or contracting.

A member of the financial services industry was, for a moment, hesitant about giving a speech on responsible business practice at a major event because the institution concerned had announced a series of job losses. At first, this appeared to be a conundrum that needed careful handling.