RESEARCH BRIEF - When consumers are more informed about a company’s positive corporate citizenship behavior, they are more likely to be satisfied with the company, are more willing to recommend it, and are more willing to buy their products. Less favorable corporate social and environmental performance elicits a negative consumer response.
The key to leadership is learning
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” – John F. Kennedy
As a corporate citizenship professional, you are a leader. As corporate citizenship becomes better understood as a means by which companies can differentiate themselves and meet business goals, your leadership—even if you don’t sit at the top of the organization—is critical to your company’s success in achieving its purpose.
You may be tasked with developing an employee volunteer program that tracks measurable employee wellness and health care cost-reduction goals. You may be asked to set science-based targets to reduce your environmental impact, or partner with human resources to create programs that make all employees feel accepted and valued. Increasingly, you may be asked to help develop a corporate response to a broad social issue such as immigration reform, climate change, or gun control—on the fly and in the midst of public debate.
The evolution of social and environmental corporate investments from the periphery of company concerns to the center is important if we are to create not only the world in which we want to do business but also the world in which we want to live. Our future prosperity and sustainability depend on continuous learning.
At the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, we provide you with the tools and expert insights you need to lead your programs and your companies to success. Our four certificates are tailored to provide actionable resources for different career stages.
Over the years, we have been working to offer these programs in a variety of formats—from week-long intensives to single courses offered in-person and across the country, to online courses that allow you to complete your work in your pajamas and at your own pace. Now, we’re happy to offer our most popular certificate—The Certificate of Corporate Citizenship Practice—in an Accelerated Certificate Summit that combines the best aspects of our in-person courses with the flexibility of online options. This Summit offers plentiful opportunities to network with colleagues as well.
Those that join us in January for this week-long event will be able to earn their Certificate in half the time out of the office, and at less than half the cost of our traditional certificate path, with online coursework supplementing the shorter in-person program. The Summit is created to be as flexible as possible, enabling participants to select from multiple courses each day, and allowing for partial-week attendance to suit every schedule.
You can learn more about our courses for individuals and company-wide training programs here on our website, and in our most recent issue of The Corporate Citizen. Through these offerings and others, we at the Center will continue to help you navigate your own leadership path as you deliver the business and social value needed for a sustainable and prosperous future.
Related Content
RESEARCH BRIEF - Strong corporate citizenship performance leads to higher dividend payouts for shareholders, especially when companies invest in community relations, diversity, and corporate governance efforts.
RESEARCH BRIEF - When employees are aware of their company’s corporate citizenship efforts, they experience higher levels of pride and engagement in the organization. Among non-managerial employees, this leads to higher retention.
Select nonprofit partners carefully when developing cause-marketing campaigns to increase engagement
RESEARCH BRIEF - Consumers are more likely to purchase from companies who partner with organizations with missions that align closely with a company’s business purpose, rather than those who directly affect its operations or make use of its products.
RESEARCH BRIEF - Companies with slack resources should consider investing in environmental efforts: These investments result in stronger environmental performance in the short term—and stronger financial performance in the long term.
REGULATORY RADAR - Voters in Massachusetts chose to retain a law that protects people who are transgender from discrimination. The law, passed in 2016 by the state legislature, bans discrimination based on gender identity in public accommodations such as hotels, restaurants, and other public places.
REGULATORY RADAR - Voters in both Arkansas and Missouri voted to approve substantial increases to their state minimum wages. Arkansas voted to increase the state’s current minimum wage of $8.50 an hour to $11 an hour by Jan. 1, 2021.
REGULATORY RADAR - In three states, voters passed ballot initiatives to adopt the Affordable Care Act's expansion of the Medicaid program. In Idaho, the expansion was approved with 60 percent of the vote, while in Nebraska and Utah it was approved with 54 percent and 53 percent, respectively.