Filth columnist,

You write in your opinion piece 'HR director? Nah, I'm a revolutionary' that CSR should report into HR, yet, a whole load of HR people don't even know where CSR sits within the organisation, let alone get involved in the various environmental committees springing up in their organisations, so how realistic is your comment? Also, what other wake-up call messages should you be sending out to heads and directors of HR that aren't joining up CSR with HR?

Cheers,

Natalie

Dear Natalie

That would mean that they are even more retrograde in their thinking than I had given them credit for. I would argue that CSR sits across the whole of an organisation anyway, but the concept of HR reporting to CSR would not be as straightforward as changing an org chart - it would need an HR Director to stand up, be brave and shout, "I want to be responsible!!" 

The resulting restructure (which as you know most HR departments love to do at least twice a year) would create a new dynamic business function, that would have influence over ALL aspects of business operations - not just the people. Surely the holy grail for a role (and an industry) that spends too much energy trying to justify its existence? 

Keep taking the Pinots, TFC 

So are you saying HR as a function should be abolished altogether to be replaced by this new dynamic business function? What would you call this new dynamic business function?

Dear Ed 

HR would just be consumed by the wave of responsible business practice. TFC's thinking is more about philosophy than functionality (the devil is in the detail - but the devil may take that bit as far as I'm concerned). By all means continue to have an HR team to look after people and do all those adminy things, but report it into the more strategic leadership of the new breed of HR Director, who would take control of the responsibility agenda across the business (and as such would probably end up with a number of other business functions reporting in on a dotted line too). Power and empire (building......).

You want a name? How about "Dynamic Business"?? Mimicry is the greatest form of flattery after all. 

Yourlovinuncle TFC

The cynical part of me wonders through, TFC, whether heaping CSR onto/into the HRD's agenda would not just 1) increase already stretched workload and 2) send mixed messages about the value of an HR function in its own right?

 I admire your "blue-sky" thinking I really do, but I wonder how you and I, will ever have the time to deliver it all!

 Investment Bank HR Lady

Joanna, thanks for your query. I'm sure TFC will reply, but in the meantime, is there anyone out there that can share any of their success stories.

Any HRDs/heads that have managed to juggle their new green/CSR/corporate responsibility agenda (whatever you like to call it) with their existing HR responsibilities?

Dear Investment Bank HR Lady (a foxy name if ever I've heard one.....)

Heaping? Nah - you would be able to delegate most of it back out and be seen to be the strategic thought leader that every HRD wants to be.....I'm sure that most HR people would love to get their mucky mits on other bits (of their business) and this would give you a way to do it.  The position would be to get the credit, but not take on the work.....

For example: 

IT? Oh yes - you need to take control of whipping those Joe's who leave on their PCs at night.

Facilities - travel, waste, heating, water etc etc - all part of the green agenda. I'm sure you'd love to have the Facilities team having to explain why they haven't gone over to eco friendly tarrifs.... (maybe that would be one to stay clear of after all).

Marketing - absolutely. Working ethically is after all a big CSR kicker and think of all those free lunches you could get with the PR team.

Sales (or similar) -  You wanna buy some of my organic home grown mushrooms?

Any one else?  Hang on this is rapidly becoming a role for a COO....fight for your right to take control, storm the barricades, form a people's party and seize control of the state! Faint hearts never won fair maidens and all that.  

Purrr......TFC

CSR is only the tip of the iceberg, it is one of many things that could be broadened beyond one department. HRDs are in a prime place to implement a review of this and should be taking the lead.

Indeedy. If your CSR is working properly I would say that it shouldn't "belong" to any one department anyway - it should run right through every element of your business. That's why HRDs are well placed to take a more proactive role and take on the mantle of the Kings and Queens of Responsibility - it's all about the Values, innit?

TFC 

That is true, but most began their life in PR departments, and HRDs should ensure that they, as you said, CSR should run right through the organisation.

Some would say that if you've got CSR in PR, you've got it dreadfully wrong. CSR succeeds if the whole business embraces it as "how we do things" as opposed to "how we would like you to think we do things....but in reality......."......HR does the doing, PR does the mooing. 

I have no idea what that means, but I like the rhyme. 

Off to suck some seeds now, TFC