YPO-WPO Social Enterprise
Networks’ Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility Application Submission Deadline 8 January 2010
About the Social Enterprise Networks Award for Corporate Responsibility
The Social Enterprise Networks’ (SEN) Award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) will be bestowed upon YPO-WPO organizations that are premier examples of how companies manage business to produce an overall positive impact on society. The SEN Awards for Corporate Social Responsibility will be announced and presented to the winners at the 2010 Global Leadership Conference (GLC) in Barcelona, Spain. These awards will give well-deserved recognition to YPO-WPO member companies that are changing the way the world does business. This is your chance to highlight your organization, regardless of its size, and demonstrate that CSR is admirable, sustainable and good for business. The SEN Awards for CSR will recognize three organizations that excel in one of the facets of Corporate Social Responsibility: Economic Justice/Community Impact, Sustainable Environmental Business Practices, or Employee Impact. There also will be a category for Philanthropy/Nonprofit Organizations and a SEN CSR Leadership Award for a leader whose company exhibits many of the social responsibility attributes listed in the single awards.
What is CSR?
Corporate Social Responsibility is the commitment of businesses to contribute to sustainable economic development by working with employees, their families, the local community and society at large to improve their lives in ways that are good for business and for development.
Traditionally in the United States, CSR has been defined much more in terms of a philanthropic model. Companies make profits, unhindered except by fulfilling their duty to pay taxes. Then they donate a certain share of the profits to charitable causes. It is seen as tainting the act for the company to receive any benefit from the giving.
The European model is more focused on operating the core business in a socially responsible way, complemented by investment in communities for solid business case reasons.
In the European model, social responsibility becomes an integral part of the wealth creation process, which, if managed properly, should enhance the competitiveness of business and maximize the value of wealth creation to society.
But as with any process based on the collective activities of communities of human beings (as companies are) there is no “one size fits all.” In different countries, there will be different priorities and values that will shape how business act.
You may self-nominate your company or nominate another YPO-WPO member company. The YPO-WPO member must currently hold an active position in the company nominated. This is your chance to highlight an organization’s CSR best practices and demonstrate that CSR is admirable, sustainable and good for business. The SEN Awards for CSR will recognize three organizations that excel in one of the facets of Corporate Social Responsibility, in addition to a category for those leading philanthropic organizations and nonprofits: Economic Justice/Community Impact, Sustainable Environmental Business Practices, or Employee Impact, and Philanthropic/Nonprofit Organizations. In addition, the YPO-WPO organization that incorporates many facets of CSR and influences others to act in socially responsible behavior will be recognized with the SEN Award for CSR Leadership.
