Corporate social responsibility

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a relatively new area of work that has been created as a result of the increased awareness of business ethics and the human impact on the environment and society. The typical work of CSR staff revolves around limiting the negative impact of business activity on the wider world, from local communities and individuals to suppliers, producers and the environment. This can include implementing fair trade practices, making use of green energy and ensuring business growth and development is sustainable.

Why companies want CSR staff

Being seen as socially responsible has become important to many businesses as customers increasingly demand ‘green’ products and ethical business practices. CSR managers can be employed to work for local and central governments, private businesses, NGOs and the voluntary sector. As CSR is a new area, there are few specific qualifications, though several universities have recently introduced masters degrees in the subject. As such, there is not a set route into the industry, so networking and gaining experience in similar areas plays a large part in the recruitment process.

What you need to start a graduate career in CSR

There are several requisite skills outlined in a report by the Department for Trade and Industry (now the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills). These include:

• commercial awareness
• innovation
• problem solving
• teamwork
• integrity
• political awareness
• internal consultancy skills
• an understanding of business impacts
• an understanding of human rights
• sustainability knowledge.

Some graduate programmes now offer CSR rotations but specific graduate roles in CSR can be hard to come by, and tend to pay average graduate starting salaries. A few years’ experience in a similar sector will help with breaking into the CSR industry. The ENDS survey reported the average wage for CSR professionals in 2008 to be £37,500. This figure has the potential to rise further as more aspects of business practice fall under the CSR remit and increasing numbers of businesses adopt ethical and sustainable practices.