Friend of Auggie V’s, Kyle Whitaker, a Principal at Framework:CR, a sustainability strategy and communications consultancy based in Wilton, Connecticut covered Day 2 of CSR Performance Summit for buildingctgreen.com.  Here’s his story of today’s discussions.

For day two of the Global Strategic Management Institute’s (GSMI) CSR Performance Summit, rather than give you the run down on “what” leading companies are doing in the realm of corporate responsibility,  I want to dive a bit deeper—into the “how”.  How are companies maximizing their investments in corporate responsibility?

In particular, I want to focus on a key theme from day two’s presentations: how companies are moving their corporate responsibility efforts forward in spite of this prolonged recession. Campbell’s Soup, Dell, and Jones Lang LaSalle may be among the country’s most committed and successful corporate citizens, but that doesn’t mean their senior executives are writing blank checks to the corporate responsibility function. No, it seems these companies are facing budgetary constraints just like the rest of us.

What’s impressive and interesting, however, is how all three companies are supplementing corporate responsibility dollars with good sense and creativity. Perhaps this point is best illustrated through the anecdotes below:

No budget? Barter or trade when necessary: Apparently that is what Dave Stangis, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for the Campbell’s Soup Company, did to fill a particular research need earlier this year.

Now, understand that strategic research can be really expensive. So my jaw about hit the floor when Stangis explained that Campbell’s developed this research in partnership with McKinsey & Co. That’s right—THE McKinsey whose sterling reputation and exorbitant consulting fees practically precede them. How did Stangis afford to hire McKinsey? Actually, he didn’t, if I understand him correctly.

Instead, Stangis provided McKinsey with data and access to Campbell’s executives in exchange for their analysis. How does McKinsey stand to benefit from the arrangement? For starters, they presented the findings at this spring’s Boston College for Corporate Citizenship conference, which, in turn, could help them to develop more new business.

Pretty cost effective, right? Corporations and consultants alike should take note of this example, if you ask me.

Friends in high places: Janice Little, Senior Manager of Corporate Responsibility at Dell reveals a different approach to promoting corporate responsibility on a tight budget. She finds strategic partners internally.

Every year Ms. Little selects a different member of Dell’s executive leadership team to serve as the executive sponsor for corporate responsibility. In 2008, she selected the company’s Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to fill this role, by strategic design rather than chance. Little was well aware that the Corporate Responsibility department needed new marketing collateral. By getting the CMO involved, Janice had the leadership, support, and expertise available to develop new collateral at very little cost. This is a great example of how companies can synergize their resources to serve dual purposes.

CFO takes charge: Finally, Jones Lang LaSalle puts a unique spin on a traditional approach. Like most companies, the real estate firm looks closely at the return on investment (ROI) of the projects and programs in which it invests. That is the traditional piece.

Jones Lang LaSalle, however, deviates from the status quo with its organizational structure. Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Lauralee Martin oversees corporate responsibility, an area that Martin describes as “a personal passion” of hers. Rarely do you find a company whose CFO is also its sustainability champion.

Be that as it may, this structure does make sense, particularly in this economic environment, and especially when ROI is so critical. If anyone knows how to achieve and calculate ROI within the company, it is probably Ms. Martin. Furthermore, what better place for the sustainability champion to assess the economic piece of sustainability than from the CFO position.

Key takeaway: Innovation is essential to a successful corporate responsibility practice, but companies cannot just aim to solve the big problems. If they did, they would be sure to stumble out of the gate. We must also find innovative ways to combat routine problems, like budget restrictions and business cycles, and make incremental progress each and every day.  After all, sustainability is nothing if not a journey.

Kudos to these three companies for helping to show us the way.

Kyle Whitaker is a Principal at Framework:CR, a sustainability strategy and communications consultancy based in Wilton, Connecticut. In addition to his core consulting work, Kyle oversees the firm’s strategic research and product development efforts and writes frequently for Ethical Corporation magazine. Prior to joining Framework:CR, Kyle worked for Innovest Strategic Value Advisors in New York City. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Wake Forest University.

Filed under: Corporate Responsibility, Green Business