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Corporate Social Responsibility: An Implementation Guide for Business These publications provide interesting and diverse examples of the ways in which businesses are exploring how to make best use of the CSR approach.
Indigenous engagement and sustainability case studies: CSR leadership practices Some companies have developed special programs and targets for addressing indigenous communities. The Australian mining firm BHP Billiton’s “Investment in Aboriginal Relationships” program is a long-term initiative that recognizes Aboriginal communities as key stakeholders. The program focuses on education, training and employment.83 The Canadian Business for Social Responsibility publication Building Sustainable Relationships: 15 case studies from the Aboriginal engagement and sustainability conference provides a compendium of recent case studies addressing leadership practices and partnerships between natural resource companies and Aboriginal communities in Canada, New Zealand and Australia.84
“I think we’re entering into the most interesting phase right now, which is about value creation. Companies are increasingly seeking to create value by coming up with products that don’t have a sustainable layer on top of an unsustainable product, but in fact a product that is all about sustainability—that delivers profits for the company and also helps improve the social and economic and environmental conditions that companies influence in so many parts of the world.” Aron Cramer, CEO of Business for Social Responsibility
Quick tips •
Prioritize which stakeholders to engage with in terms of their ability to impact positively or negatively on the firm;
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Make sure you know in advance why it is you are engaging with your stakeholders and how you are going to engage with them;
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Find local support or partners to help translate your approach into terms that will be understood; and
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Consider using professional facilitators or consultants to assist in constructing an effective engagement process.
83 http://www.bhpbilliton.com/bb/sustainableDevelopment/community/programs/aboriginalEmployment Initiatives.jsp. 84 http://www.cbsr.ca.