In 2008, ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership convened a global summit to explore the ways association leaders could achieve a higher level of social responsibility. From this meeting came the Global Principles for Socially Responsible Associations & Nonprofits. More than 125 organizations have embraced this voluntary commitment toward positive change as a sign of their dedication to incorporate social responsibility throughout every level of their organizations.
The principles align with universally accepted principles contained in the United Nation's Global Compact regarding positive progress and specifically defined expectations in areas such as human rights, labor, education, poverty, health, the environment, and anti-corruption.
According to ASAE, the benefits associations with a strategic social responsibility strategy include:
- Enhances reputation and visibility that supports marketing objectives
- Increases valuable partnership opportunities and coalition experience
- Attracts and helps retain a high-quality workforce
- Attracts and helps retain and engage members/customers
- Ensures more effective risk management, in part through reduced regulatory oversight and greater transparency
- Often leads to new products and services (such as sustainability-oriented conferences and events, sector-specific eco-products, CSR-related certifications), potentially producing new revenues and stronger customer/member loyalty because of a greater sense that the organization is highly relevant to professional or personal success
- Frequently results in significant cost savings through increased operational efficiencies and innovations
- Provides competitive advantage, in large part by driving a culture of continued innovation and more positive brand value/reputation
- Provides another outlet through which to accomplish an organization's mission
- Increases awareness of the association's mission or cause
- Can reveal fresh solutions to complex problems
- Can help change public behavior in positive ways
To learn more, visit www.asaecenter.org/srprinciples.