With the current economic climate being as tough as it is, it is still important that we take some time to step aside from day-to-day business and quarterly results and to reflect on the broader picture and requirements for the future. 

CSR Europe recently invited their network members from companies, NPO´s and representatives from the European Commission to collectively explore how enterprises in the year 2020 can be set up in the most responsible way, following recent trends in economy and society. You can imagine the great spirit of creativity and constructive dialogue during their sessions! Key questions being asked such as “Is CSR still in its infancy and is it therefore rather disconnected from companies’ business strategies? Which are more successful: change mechanisms from top down or bottom up? In the grand scheme of things, what role does the EU play and how would most innovative partnership models look in future?” 

It seems that the dialogues reflecting the future of CSR have been launched with lots of creative energy and that there is sincere common ground and interest from CSR Europe network members to draw a picture of the future together and to develop a framework for companies to be ready for the future of CSR.

Creativity obviously played a major role during workshop sessions where the teams were asked to visualise the current and future situation of CSR with the help of sculptural elements. EU Commissioner Barroso, who joined the event as a guest speaker, was very impressed about the artistic work from the different teams and clearly underlined the relevance to creating a new culture of ethics and responsibility together. Have a look at the video below. In particular, Barroso stressed the importance of re-building trust in business and encouraged companies to take advantage of the long-term business opportunities created through the current shift to a low-carbon economy in Europe.

Looks like we have a promising future ahead of us. Let’s shape it in a most responsible way!

Jeannette Weisschuh, Director Global Citizenship, HP EMEA