Are softwares the end of the CSR consultant?

The other day I was talking to a sales contact for an up and coming CSR software company. Being a CSR consultant I have positively praised these companies for making our job easier and providing innovative solutions for corporations to do right. Their services range from audits of the supplier chains to employee engagement.

I was surprised when he referred to their software as a “CSR consultant killer”. It sounded like something a Swedish politician said in the beginning of the 90s. That internet was only a trend and that too would pass.

Not in sync with reality. Reality is that not one CSR consultant, or agency for that matter, is able to provide everything needed for a comprehensive CSR program.

The skills of an engineer do not often include the extensive knowledge of climate impact. A communications expert might not be skilled with the technological knowledge to analyze a supply chain. Or a packaging innovator might not be aware of the UN sustainable development goals.

You get the point: Let experts be experts. The role of a CSR consultant is to create change with the resources necessary. To be able to create a strategy in line with the corporation and the brand and to understand the resources available and what to take into consideration. Create a team and the resources to make a solid impact. But don’t fool yourself to believe that one system or one consultant can help you with everything.

The beauty of implementing sustainability in an organisation is the collaboration needed. That all the departments, employee ambassadors and systems need to work together. That is how you create the best CSR program there is.