Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): A Strategic Approach

Developed by Penn and the Satell Institute, this course provides theory and practical working concepts in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), exploring cases that demonstrate the great potential CSR may have to improve communities in the world, and to create awareness of potential pitfalls. Students will learn (a) how to leverage corporate structures and nonprofits’ experience to undertake CSR activities that have real public benefit, (b) the relationship between philanthropy and corporate self-interest, and (c) how ventures can assess whether they are doing good CSR, exploring topics including measurement, attribution, and cost benefit analysis. Through this four-week course, students from either the business or the philanthropic sector will develop a greater understanding of both sides of the partnerships that underlie Corporate Social Responsibility projects. They will learn how they might improve their interactions with their cross-sector partners, develop better partnerships, improve their use of pooled resources, and deepen their impact. Finally, they will learn from many examples of Corporate Social Responsibility across the world. This course will teach students interested in developing a CSR project to conduct a wider search than they may have previously undertaken to identify lessons and solutions that they may adapt to their own setting. 3b

• About the CSR landscape.
• How shifting CSR activity from discretionary to integral components of a company’s strategy creates long-term benefits for company and society.
• Why CSR is essential for attracting and retaining employees, and how to take advantage of this win-win for company and community.
• Criteria for successful corporate-nonprofit partnerships.
• Principles and examples of CSR in the US, Netherlands and India.