The recent global pandemic has raised many important questions for business leaders. Social responsibility in particular has been a hot topic as entire industries have been forced to quickly adapt their business models for the health and safety of their communities. Scroll down and keep reading to find out what businesses can learn about social responsibility during a time of crisis.

Duties to Health and Safety

Companies have a duty to protect the health and safety of their customers and employees. The health of one is the health of all. Businesses should take measures to protect their employees from illness wherever possible. For example, with the recent outbreak of coronavirus, businesses should protect their employees from illness by providing masks and hand sanitizing stations. If businesses have employees who are at a high risk for illnesses, they should remember their duties to the health of their employees and allow them to work remotely if necessary.

Act Quickly

Slow action can harm people and harm your reputation. Social responsibility should be at the forefront of business leaders’ minds during a crisis. Be assertive and innovative about taking action and finding solutions to help people, especially those who are heavily affected by the crisis. Businesses can act quickly by creating a team dedicated to crisis management which can manage logistical and strategic challenges. One important principle that businesses should practice in terms of acting quickly is good communication. Communicating quickly during a crisis will help maintain unity in your business and help everyone remain calm.

Support the Community

It is highly likely that your business will not be the only one affected by a crisis; a crisis will affect the entire community. In light of this fact, businesses should take action to support their community. There are many ways to do this. Businesses can sponsor fundraising events, donate food, or even donate time by holding a volunteer action day. They can also support the community by donating money in creative ways to people in need.

Businesses should be conscious of social responsibility even in times of normalcy, but experiencing a crisis can be a catalyst for businesses to improve their practice of social responsibility more quickly than they would otherwise. Businesses can (and should) be mindful of their social responsibility in terms of their duties to health and safety, responsibility to act quickly, and obligations to support the community.

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