Corporate social responsibility
School Senior Leader Level 7 Apprenticeship
Welcome & Introductions
(PowerPoint will be shared & a Podcast will be available for each session)
AIM & OBJECTIVES
Aim
To critically explore how senior leaders design, implement and evaluate corporate social responsibility strategies that align organisational values with sustainable, ethical and reputational outcomes.
Objectives
•Evaluate the role of corporate social responsibility in shaping organisational reputation, sustainability and long-term value within a complex external environment (K15, K19)
•Analyse external trends, stakeholder expectations and societal pressures to inform responsible and sustainable organisational practice (S6, K15)
•Apply decision-making approaches to balance ethical, commercial and social considerations in leadership practice (S9, B2)
•Communicate and influence stakeholders effectively to embed socially responsible practices across the organisation and beyond (S8, B4)
What would you do…?
Your organisation has been publicly criticised on social media after a post claims:
• A key supplier is using unethical labour practices
• The organisation has ignored previous concerns raised
• Local media has picked up the story and is requesting comment
What would you do…?
A. Pause and investigate before responding
B. Issue an immediate holding statement
C. Defend the organisation publicly
D. Suspend the supplier with immediate effect
E. Other (add a comment)
Consider…
…and that This
Risk Reputation
Ethics Evidence Speed Accuracy
Internal challenge External accountability
Corporate social responsibility… …beyond the buzzwords
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not…
A marketing exercise
A standalone policy
A reactive response to criticism
CSR is…
A strategic approach to organisational impact
A reflection of values in action
A balance of ethical, social and commercial priorities
A visible expression of leadership decisions
• Catch up
Breakout room 1
• Discuss the following prompts and prepare to give feedback
Agree where you sit and be ready to justify it
What evidence do you have for your choice?
Who (really) owns CSR in your organisation?
What drives your CSR – values, risk, image, other?
Where does it show up (or not) in decisions?
If someone external looked at your organisation, what would they see? (not what your website says)
Breakout room 1
What does CSR look like in practice? Environmental
Social
Governance
Environmental (planet)
Net zero, procurement choices
Energy use, waste, sustainability
Social (people) Staff wellbeing, inclusion
Community and wider impact
Governance (doings things properly)
Ethics, transparency
Decision-making, accountability
Your CSR is not defined by your strategy…
…it is defined by your decisions when the going gets tough
If it disappears under pressure… …it was never really there.
Every organisation thinks it is responsible… …until that responsibility starts to cost something.
Further reading…
UNESCO: Education for sustainable development
DfE: Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy
United Nations: 17 sustainable development goals
Wikipedia: Environmental, social and governance (ESG) overview
Are we thinking broadly enough?
Most leaders operate within one system
Most decisions are shaped by what feels ‘normal’
CSR expectations are shaped outside of your organisation
• Catch up
Breakout room 2
• Discuss the following prompts and prepare to give feedback
Breakout room 2
• One uncomfortable truth about CSR in your organisation
• One leadership behaviour contributing to this
• One action that would start to shift it
What does this mean for strategic leadership?
What do you tend to prioritise when things are difficult?
What do you tend to walk past without challenging?
What do your decisions/actions signal to others?
Reflection
What one thing will you now implement?
What one thing will you now stop?
What one thing will you now challenge?
Connecting CSR to your strategic business proposal
It might be visible in:
Your strategic priorities
Your stakeholder decisions
Your risk and reputation management
Your long-term sustainability
Strengthening your proposal
• You should see CSR in your strategic priorities and the trade-offs you justify.
• You should show how your decisions consider stakeholders, risk and reputation.
• You should demonstrate awareness of long-term impact and sustainability, not just short-term performance.
AIM & OBJECTIVES
Aim
To critically explore how senior leaders design, implement and evaluate corporate social responsibility strategies that align organisational values with sustainable, ethical and reputational outcomes.
Objectives
•Evaluate the role of corporate social responsibility in shaping organisational reputation, sustainability and long-term value within a complex external environment (K15, K19)
•Analyse external trends, stakeholder expectations and societal pressures to inform responsible and sustainable organisational practice (S6, K15)
•Apply decision-making approaches to balance ethical, commercial and social considerations in leadership practice (S9, B2)
•Communicate and influence stakeholders effectively to embed socially responsible practices across the organisation and beyond (S8, B4)
What lies ahead?
1. Applying CSR when it starts to cost
Aligning social responsibility with financial decision-making, workforce planning and organisational priorities
2. Leading through complexity and change Making decisions under pressure, managing risk and driving sustainable organisational change
3. Embedding responsibility through people and culture
Developing others and strengthening culture through coaching, mentoring, teamwork and leadership practice
