Corporate Social Responsibility and Social networking

According to CSR Wire News, a majority of Americans identify the internet as their top source of information. Most people use blogs and social networking sites that are not directly linked to organisations to get information on such organisations’ CSR activities. Their rationale being that they want to get objective information from sources that cannot be influenced by such organisations. (CSR Wire News, 2007).
Consumers can use social network sites to form pressure groups that can advocate for addressing of issues of societal concern. This is because they have access to a huge number of people on the net. This can have grave implications for an organization because stakeholders can form opinions of organizations’ from a combination of factors including other stakeholders’ experiences. This information can spread at a very fast rate.
It gives the stakeholders an additional variety of sources of information apart from an audit report.
Social networking sites empower customers, making them better informed and aware. These consumers want to be heard, and would want to make their contributions towards finding a solution for themselves and the society at large. Some stakeholders may be aware of activities that are detrimental to an organization that the organization itself may not be aware of, such forums present the opportunity for the organization to have that knowledge and act on it. Organizations can gain from these comments and concerns from consumers and other stakeholders because it results in a large pool of resources of different views and needs of stakeholders. This feedback can be used for better performance, if organizations learn to listen. Organizations can also use this to their advantage by providing a neutral opportunity for communicating with stakeholders through the use of social networking sites for open discussions. Social networking sites can therefore act as vehicles for fast exchange and flow of information.

CSR used to be entirely up to a company to decide and for the society to accept. This led to some CSR programs that were not successfully implemented because they were not in harmony with community needs. Social networking creates an exchange of information forum which means that stakeholders and organisations will be more in tune with each other. There is a higher tendency for programs to be successful because stakeholders are involved directly from the beginning to the end, there is the sense of ownership and so they would want to support and participate towards its successful implementation.

Companies are forced to perform better because social networking sites provide a fast way of finding out if they are not. Most organisations are forced to be transparent and honest.