Building the company brand: Connecting CSR to the business

Successful companies are realising the strategic business benefit of corporate social responsibility (CSR), from learning to mitigate long-term risks affecting their industries to building a socially-responsible corporate brand, which is a valuable intangible asset. Consumers are increasingly counting on companies to provide for the greater good, and they are willing to reward companies who are doing so with their purchasing power. This paper explores how CSR initiatives can contribute to a company's competitive advantage through discussion of The Hershey Company's innovative programme, CocoaLink: Connecting Cocoa Communities. CocoaLink is a first-of-its-kind programme, which harnesses mobile technology to deliver agricultural and social messages to rural Ghanaian cocoa farmers and their families, giving them the knowledge to improve their livelihoods. Corporate giving is changing from solely writing a cheque to creating programmes that leverage a company's core competencies. Businesses bring specific expertise to addressing social issues, which, in partnership with governments and non-profits, can be particularly effective. This paper will outline how the CocoaLink programme has been built through collaborative partnerships, and provide key lessons that have emerged from the creation and implementation of this West African social programme.