How can I make a career in corporate social responsibility?

As per section 135 of the Indian Companies Act, 2013 every company is required to constitute a committee of the board to be accountable for both the consumer and the companies. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a self-regulated business model that helps company’s to be socially accountable to the stakeholders and the public. By practicing CSR, they also act as corporate citizenship where companies can be conscious of the kind of impact they are having on society, including social /economic and political & the environment. 

Impact of corporate social responsibility

Starbucks – one of the largest coffee chains in India has been long known to have a keen sense incorporate Social Responsibility and commitment to sustainability and community welfare. To compensate for the loss caused by COVID19 to the world, Starbucks pledged to hiring 10000 refugees, reducing the environmental impact of its cups on the environment and engaging its employees on the environmental leadership.

The impact of corporate social responsibility has impacted several domains thereby enabling them liable for the organization’s response to the environment. Although the Corporate social responsibilities program has been common towards large corporations, small businesses also participate in CSR on towards smaller scale such as donating to local charities and sponsoring local events. 

What if I say you can pursue your career in corporate social responsibility or what it’s like to work in the corporate social responsibility department? What is it like to work with professionals working focusing on expanding how the organization can give back to the community? 

For anyone who is socially-minded, Corporate social responsibility is a perfect way to pursue a socially responsible business career. 

Why make a career in Corporate social responsibility?

Well, the following pointers make Corporate social responsibility a rewarding career – 

1.  The right background: No matter whatever you have studied, you have the right background. Because CSR stretches across so many industries, most CSR professionals don’t come from the same backgrounds. However, they do have one thing in common: a passion for making a difference.
2. Companies across nearly every industry are pursuing CSR strategies. Because of this, the variety in the field is endless.
3. A career in CSR allows you to be innovative, creative and think about the future. CSR is a field that is constantly changing, and there is plenty of room for new ideas or ways of thinking. 
4. As a CSR professional, you’ll use and develop a wide variety of transferable skills. Many of the abilities that you developed as a student or intern will take you far in this field. 

The basic skills that corporate social responsibility is -research, public speaking & presentations, writing, and social interpersonal skills.

How to make a career in Corporate Social Responsibility ?

As of date, the number of jobs available for this unheard profile on online portals is near about 10,000 with 8505 jobs available on monster.com, 1207 available jobs on Naukri.com, 877 on shine.com, and 102 on linkdin.com which outweigh several other portfolios. It is pertinent to note here that these numbers are just on online platforms, where the majority of the recruiters are hiring professionals from other departments laterally. Also, it is assumed by industry standards that for every 10 jobs that are advertised there are another 80 non-advertised vacancies. So, it is only fair to assume that the number of CSR jobs available in reality is much higher.

Let us take a look at opportunities available in each of these sectors:

Private Sector

1. Individuals recruited for CSR are required to take care of all CSR related activities like formulation and implementation of CSR policy, coming up with plans that ensure maximum RoI from CSR activities, creating a budget and proper allocation, publicity and media coverage of CSR initiatives, an audit of CSR projects and ensuring the projects are successful.
2. Bigger Companies have started coming up with a separate CSR department altogether, which ensures dedicated bandwidth and large-scale implementation of well-funded projects.
3. Sometimes multiple projects are being managed simultaneously, requiring larger teams. 

Public Sector

1. The provisions of CSR do not apply to private sector companies alone. They are equally applicable to all PSUs, state-managed as well as central, which inherently have a higher burden on them than private sector companies. As these corporations are intended to be run with greater public interest and welfare in mind, the role of PSUs in CSR has been pioneering in India.
2. The drive and need for CSR professionals can be illustrated by the fact that in 2014, Coal India recruited 120 professionals trainees for CSR from leading institutes all over the country. The mid-level and higher-level management need is never-ending as finding relevant experience and expertise on the subject is a tough nut to crack by PSUs.
3. The portfolio of CSR executives has seen a steep increase in demand. Known as, “Local People Management,” this portfolio has also seen a rise in recruitment.

Voluntary Sector

1. NGOs and social organizations, both from rural and urban India, have emerged as key recruiters of CSR professionals in recent times. These organizations may provide more challenging and rewarding opportunities to those interested in CSR. 
2. Even various companies have social initiatives or charitable trusts that work at the grassroots level. These organizations are often glad to hire CSR professionals for managerial roles and their understanding of funding dynamics. Godrej Culture Lab is one of many such initiatives, which directly hires individuals from all walks of life, specifically for CSR.
3. NGOs working on rehabilitation and resettlement issues and other organizations concerned with forest rights, rural livelihood, healthcare regularly recruit/ consult professionals with CSR expertise. 

Average Salary of Corporate Social Responsibility Professional

Yes, we understand that earnings and salary is the main reason why we work so hard. The amount you will earn depends upon your experience in this industry. Given the diversity and funds flowing in CSR, it is emerging to be one of the best paying sectors in the industry. CSR is currently attracting top talent from other sectors with top pay packages. On average, an Corporate Social Responsibility Professional earns $81,284/ year. While the average salary of a CSR Vice President or General Manager could range from INR 60 to 90 Lakhs per annum, a fresher from an esteemed university can earn from INR 5 to 10 Lakhs per annum.

Vskills Certified Corporate Social Responsibility Professional

Vskills certification for Corporate Social Responsibility Professional assesses the candidate as per the company’s need for corporate social responsibility compliance and management. The certification tests the candidates on various areas in corporate social responsibility which includes CSR regulation, laws, mercantilism, accountability, phases of CSR, CSR types, reputational capital, corporate social entrepreneur, business ethics, and corporate governance.

Additionally, This course is intend for professionals and graduates wanting to excel in their chosen areas. It is also well suit for those who are already working and would like to take certification for further career progression.

Furthermore, Earning Vskills Corporate Social Responsibility Professional Certification can help candidates differentiate in today’s competitive job market, broaden their employment opportunities by displaying their advanced skills, and result in higher earning potential.

Benefits of the Certification

• First of all, you will be getting a Government Certification
• The Certification is valid for life
• Candidates will get lifelong e-learning access.
• The best part is that you will get access to free Practice Tests.
• Last but not least, candidates will get tagged as ‘Vskills Certified’ On Monsterindia.com and  ‘Vskills Certified’ On Shine Shine.com.

Concepts covered

• Firstly, Corporate Social Responsibility
• Secondly, Social License
• Thirdly, CSR Motives
• Furthermore, Laws of CSR
• Role of Private Companies
• Types of CSR
• Phases of CSR
• Objectives of CSR
• CSR and Reputational Capital
• Corporate Social Entrepreneur
• Business Ethics & CSR
• Corporate Governance
• CSR Reporting
• Next, CSR in India
• Last but not least, Case Study

Start preparing to become Certified Corporate Social Responsibility Professional

To help you in your preparation, we have prepared a guide to which you can refer to. Furthermore, following this preparation guide will help you learn and understand every exam’s objectives. Here we are providing you with the best learning resources to qualify for the exam. Moreover, here we are going to illustrate a detailed description to help you prepare for the exam. Let’s start with expert learning resources and a study guide.

Books for Reference

Reference Books can provide an advantage to learn and understand things more accurately. For the Certified Certified Corporate Social Responsibility Professional exam, there are various books available which you can find online. Some of the books are as follows:

Join a Study Group 

It is very important to interact with people who have a common aim in life. Joining study groups is a good way to get yourself fully involve with the certification exam you apply for. Furthermore, these groups will help you get up to date with the latest changes or any update happening exam. Also, these groups contain both beginners as well as professionals.  Furthermore, these groups will help you get up to date with the latest changes or any update happening exam. Also, these groups contain both beginners as well as professionals. Moreover, This is a nice way for the students to discuss their issues.

E-Learning and Study Materials

Learning for the exam can be fun if you have the right set of resources matching your way of studying. Vskills offers you its E-Learning Study Material to supplement your learning experience and exam preparation. This online learning material is available for a lifetime and is updated regularly. You can also get the hardcopy for this material, so, you can prefer either way in which you are comfortable. Furthermore, you can refer, Vskills Certified Corporate Social Responsibility Professional online tutorials as well. Start your preparations with free practice test papers!