What is Corporate Social Responsibility?
Over the past few decades, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has meant different things to different businesses. The lack of agreement on the term leaves us free to determine what it means to us, and at EnSite, it means quite a lot. BusinessDictionary.com defines CSR as:
“A company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates.”
That leaves a lot of room for interpretation. At EnSite, our sense of responsibility to the community means that in terms of our business philosophy and core services—including planning, landscape architecture, urban design and engineering—we hold these values and activities near and dear:
- Collaboration – every single member of our team has a say in everything we do
- Engagement – the community we serve is our number-one collaborator
- Involvement – team members are encouraged to support community service organizations
- Relationship building – by serving as connectors between people, we enhance the character of the community and help its members achieve their goals
- Stewardship – considerations for the built environment must serve to preserve and enhance the natural environment
- Sustainability – we provide solutions so that the activities of the community continue to advance its stewardship goals well into the future
- Education – community members make better decisions when they have the facts
- Empowerment – team members are given authority to make decisions, and accountability for those decisions. Likewise, the larger community is given a voice in decisions that affect it
- Impact awareness – everything we do, as a company and as individuals, affects those around us
- Negative impact reduction – we abide by sustainability and stewardship best practices both in the rendering of our services and in our daily business operations
- Integrity – CSR only works when its principles are integral to every operation in the business and are honored for their intrinsic values
- Organizational modeling – by adhering to our self-defined CSR principles, we hope to set an example for other organizations, thereby improving the communities where we live, work, learn, and live.
As part of the fabric of our organizational culture, EnSite’s focus on Corporate Social Responsibility is one of many aspects that make it a pleasure for us to come to work every day. Stay tuned for more details on what we’ve done, and the positive impact on our business!
