Corporate social responsibility jobs: What you need to know

Governments and nonprofits aren’t the only ones funding international development – many companies do so, too, to boost their image among locals as well as international consumers. But getting a job in corporate social responsibility, especially for those from outside the for-profit market, can be tricky. CSR membership organizations such as Net Impact and Just Means typically list only a handful of jobs in this field. CSR initiatives are usually implemented by traditional corporate divisions like operations, marketing, or finance. Tasks may include crafting social responsibility policy, monitoring overseas suppliers for labor abuses (known as ethical sourcing), and assessing environmental compliance. But the majority of jobs listed on these sites were a mix of positions at nonprofits and international organizations that require private sector experience. According to Krista Van Tassel, director of marketing and communications at Net Impact, those interested in CSR work need to determine how their skills will fit a company. These may be in the areas of communications or marketing, which Greg Allgood, director of Procter & Gamble Co.’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water initiative and co-developer of water purification product PUR, said are useful to both for-profit and nonprofit initiatives. CSR job profiles generally fall into three categories: CSR specialist, foundation officer or consultant. The “pure” CSR job Firms generally have only a small staff of “pure” corporate responsibility managers that develop initiatives addressing social, development and environmental issues as part of the overall company strategy. Senior positions at Gap Inc.’s CSR group are typically filled by people from within the company who understand the business in addition to seeing its social and environmental concerns. The group is responsible for monitoring supplier factories for compliance with labor standards and developing programs to address social issues. Thai Tran started her career with Gap as a sales associate at one of its retail stores, and later moved up to a position at corporate headquarters. She took her passion for social justice – she was a volunteer for a local AIDS charity – to work in the company’s CSR group. Tran currently oversees Gap’s compliance officers who are usually hired in the developing countries where the company’s suppliers are located. Their main role is to audit the labor practices of suppliers and then work with them to correct any violation. “I like to hire compliance officers from the NGO world, because compliance at Gap is not just about auditing labor practices but coming up with sustainable solutions for employees’ needs like literacy programs,” Tran said. Additionally, the officers help suppliers create programs to address the health or education needs of garment workers. Experience working in HIV and AIDS prevention or education initiatives is a key prerequisite for getting hired by Gap. The company has close to 80 compliance officers in the field at any given time, but the size of its staff is still a rarity among clothing brands. Foundation managers or officers Many large companies also establish a charitable foundation as part of their overall CSR effort. Foundations are typically funded through stock donations and are separate entities from their corporate namesakes. At Gap Foundation, a dedicated staff of less than two dozen people is responsible for screening and managing a portfolio of grants that support the work of other nonprofits. “The foundation doesn’t hire consistently since people like these jobs so much they don’t really leave. … It has the highest tenure at the company,” said Lucien Chan, manager for strategy and communications at Gap Foundation. Prior to his position at the foundation, Chan worked in Gap’s corporate strategy group. But many of his co-workers came from the nonprofit world and brought with them grant management experience. Being able to build relationships with nonprofits and understanding complex social issues are major job requirements. Social responsibility advisers Another route to consider is working at consulting firms or associations that focus on CSR like Business for Social Responsibility, Metavu or Mission Measurement. The scope of their advisory work ranges from designing compliance programs to finding profitable opportunities by having a green perspective when measuring social impact. BSR particularly has a mix of associates with nonprofit, international development, or corporate background prior to joining the firm. Some companies also hire internal CSR advisers to guide policy. Tam R. Nguyen joined Chevron as a policy adviser on global issues and corporate responsibility. Nguyen used his previous experience from the nonprofit sector and Asian Development Bank to help the energy giant understand how socio-economic factors shape its business. The next generation of CSR jobs In some cases, CSR work becomes an additional responsibility for those in traditional job areas like marketing or finance. U.S.-based Ethos Water was founded with the mission of using its profits to fund clean drinking water programs in the developing world. At Ethos, CSR is a function of every position in the company from the sales team to the chief executive. “Eventually, companies will not have a CSR group as they integrate CSR into business units,” Van Tassel said, although she believed this is a very distant change. The global financial crisis will most certainly affect hiring for CSR-related positions and test whether companies view corporate responsibility as a strategic priority or an expendable gimmick. Read more about corporate social responsibility: - Discussing Corporate Social Responsibility - Working Smarter: The Need for a New CSR in our Changing Economy - A Mexican Consultancy’s Business Approach to Development - A Business Case for CSR, Even During Hard Times Read more career advice articles.