A corporate social responsibility programme only creates value when it works inside the business, not alongside it.
Design for the people delivering it
The most common failure is a programme designed for the annual report rather than for the employees who must run it. Build around existing rhythms, give people training and a reason to care, and the programme sustains itself.
Plan it like an operation
Partnerships, timelines, internal comms, external comms and evaluation should be agreed before launch, not improvised after it.
Evaluate honestly
Qualitative facts and hard data, reported plainly — including what did not work. Reputation is built on the second part.