CSR: A CEO assigns employees to participate in fund-raising for a nonprofit school for
students with learning disabilities. The company provides time off and covers the
employees' expenses. Employee contributions and school accomplishments are
communicated in newsletters and at annual meetings. How could this attempt at
community involvement be improved?
a. Avoid turning the involvement into personal gain through publicizing it.
b. Allow employees more voice in choosing the community involvement partner.
c. Provide volunteers with additional training in community work.
d. Choose another community partner less involved in advocacy. - Answer-b. Allow
employees more voice in choosing the community involvement partner
Although the cause may be worthy, it would be better if employees were more involved
in choosing a partner and project rather than being assigned to one by the
organization's leader.
/.CSR: A cosmetics company that denounces animal testing as a primary part of its
branding was recently reported to be working with suppliers that routinely test on
animals. Which aspect of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy is
misaligned?
a. Social
b. Environment
c. Compliance
d. Governance - Answer-d. Governance
An organization with good governance is transparent and accountable at each level and
function. By buying from suppliers that test on animals, the organization is intentionally
deceiving consumers and being opaque rather than transparent.
/.CSR: A small but growing organization is just beginning to build its corporate social
responsibility (CSR) program. Which objective would be most appropriate for the
organization at this stage?
a. To develop an annual auditing tool for recipients of the organization's support
b. To place senior executives on boards of prominent nonprofits in the local area
c. To develop a CSR program that is aligned with the organization's business strategy
d. To find local nonprofits that merit financial support and that share the same values -
Answer-c. To develop a CSR program that is aligned with the organization's business
strategy
CSR has moved up the sustainability maturity curve. In the past, CSR was seen as a
tactical, public relations–centered way to "pay back" or do good, or a compliance
activity, or a defensive maneuver to protect a company's reputation and share value. It
has changed to a strategic approach that is fully integrated into an organization's
mission and core business strategies. The starting point for any CSR strategy is thus to
align CSR goals with core business goals.
,/.CSR: An organization gains many benefits from its employees volunteering in the
community. How can volunteering help the employees?
a. By providing time off
b. By building skills
c. By increasing branding
d. By improving the company culture - Answer-b. By building skills
Volunteering can allow employees to learn new skills while helping in the community.
/.CSR: An organization is moving from employees working in silos to a team
environment. Which corporate social responsibility activity best supports this initiative?
a. Joining an internal committee
b. Outside training
c. Team building
d. Employee volunteerism - Answer-d. Employee volunteerism
All activities listed will help with employees learning to work within a group, but
employee volunteerism is the only one that can be part of a corporate social
responsibility activity.
/.CSR: As part of a software company's corporate social responsibility (CSR) program,
during non-working hours employees volunteer time and expertise helping low-income
people build their own small businesses. Participation has been consistent but at a very
low level. What recommendation should HR make to assist the company in increasing
employee involvement?
a. Realign the program's focus to mirror the organizational mission.
b. Support employee participation with paid time off.
c. Make company facilities available to participants.
d. Increase the program's marketing budget to encourage participation. - Answer-b.
Support employee participation with paid time off
An organization's CSR programs are more effective in involving employees if the
organization actively supports employee involvement, e.g., allowing time off, paying
related expenses. Increasing awareness through publicizing the program without
actively facilitating employees' participation will probably be ineffective. This program is
well aligned with the company's focus. Using company facilities may be problematic
(e.g., security issues, transportation for program participants).
/.CSR: For an organization to be considered sustainable, what areas of practice are
examined?
a. Environmental, social, ethics
b. Social, ethics, economics
c. Environmental, economic, social
d. People, profits, environment - Answer-c. Environmental, economic, social
,Environmental, economic, and social are the three spheres of sustainability.
/.CSR: How are local cluster developments used in corporate social responsibility?
a. To create a sustainability sweet spot
b. To create shared value
c. To broaden the range of stakeholders
d. To move up the sustainability maturity curve - Answer-b. To create shared value
Porter and Kramer argue that the success of most organizations is dependent on a
cluster of other organizations (related businesses, suppliers, schools) and infrastructure
(roads, communication networks, water and energy supply). Shared value results when
organizations build and enhance the local cluster and improve the conditions of those
operating in it, benefiting the organization and its community.
/.CSR: How do the three spheres of sustainability support an effective corporate social
responsibility (CSR) program?
a. By incorporating a blend of local, regional, and global perspectives
b. By limiting the measures of success to financial, earth, air, and water
c. By offering an all-encompassing view of how an organization should function
d. By allowing an organization to better focus on the community in which it operates -
Answer-c. By offering an all-encompassing view of how an organization should function
The term "sustainability" originally referred to an ecological or environmental goal. Now
that focus has expanded to also consider an organization's social and economic impact
(sometimes referred to as the 3Ps: people, planet, profits). Based on stakeholder
demands, the three spheres attempt to provide a balanced focus to the organization's
goals, objectives, and outcomes.
/.CSR: How have corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies evolved in
corporations?
a. The strategies are intended to create visibility for the organization.
b. The strategies are tied to the organization's net earnings.
c. Values and goals have been redefined based on CSR principles.
d. The involvement of less-senior employees is required. - Answer-c. Values and goals
have been redefined based on CSR principles
In many corporations, CSR principles have matured as a strategic approach that is fully
integrated into an organization's mission and core business strategies.
/.CSR: HR has been charged with benchmarking the organization's sustainability
performance against that of its global competitors. Which resource will best help HR
accomplish this?
a. OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises
b. ISO 26000
c. United Nations Global Compact
, d. GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards - Answer-d. GRI Sustainability Reporting
Standards
The GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards enable meaningful and consistent
comparisons of organizations' sustainability performance.
/.CSR: HR is looking for ways to increase the organization's brand while developing the
employees. How can this be achieved?
a. Job rotation
b. Volunteering
c. Outsourcing
d. Job sharing - Answer-b. Volunteering
Volunteering gives people a chance to learn new skills while representing the
organization. Job sharing and rotation may improve an organization's effectiveness and
productivity but not perceptions of its brand by external stakeholders. Outsourcing, if
performed without due diligence, can hurt the organization's brand, but performed
appropriately it will affect productivity and effectiveness rather than brand.
/.CSR: Leadership has requested HR to design a program to allow employees to
telecommute. How will this advance the organization's sustainability?
a. By allowing the organization to apply for SA8000
b. By reducing organization's carbon footprint
c. By reducing costs for the organization
d. By allowing the organization to apply for ISO 26000 - Answer-b. By reducing
organization's carbon footprint
There are seven areas in which HR has a role in when advancing sustainability. How
people work is one of those areas; it can affect the organization's carbon footprint.
/.CSR: Technological forces have had which critical effect on today's corporate social
responsibility (CSR) practices?
a. Using analytical capabilities has made CSR impacts more demonstrable.
b. Organizing multicultural efforts through social media is easier.
c. Monitoring tools have made it easier to track regulatory compliance.
d. Telecommuting tools have helped organizations reduce their carbon footprint. -
Answer-a. Using analytical capabilities has made CSR impacts more demonstrable
Data mining and analytics capabilities have made CSR factors more readily measurable
and their impacts more demonstrable and understandable. That in turn has increased
accountability, helped shape regulatory requirements, and, where measurable
performance results are positive, given organizations a powerful strategic tool.
/.CSR: What is the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and
sustainability?
a. Sustainability has completely replaced CSR.
