Many people continue to criticize CSR reports for being too long, detailed and boring for most stakeholders to read. When you combine that sentiment with the challenges of explaining your corporate responsibility performance in multiple languages and cultures and your impact at the local level, it is clear that one size does not fit all.One way to address this is by creating localized versions of your CSR report. We've been doing this for a number of years now at Intel, working with our major sites and regional CSR managers around the world to take the Executive Summary of our annual Corporate Responsibility Report, and translate and/or incorporate information about local programs and performance.
I wanted to share this year's first batch of local reports which my colleagues just finished, including country reports for Israel, Ireland, and Russia and regional reports for Europe and Middle East, Turkey and Africa. You can access copies of these local versions on Intel's company page on Justmeans.com. Additional reports from Europe, as well as from across Asia, Latin America and our U.S. sites are still underway.
There are many ways we go about sharing information and entering into dialogue on our corporate responsibility efforts with key stakeholders in the communities and regions where we operate - from local community advisory panels to online newsletters and blogs. The localized version of the CSR report is just one more tool in this communications mix. Used in meetings with local NGOs, government officials, customers, and neighbors, these reports enable us to succinctly explain Intel's overall commitment to corporate responsibility, while communicating our engagement and impact at the local level.
We continually work to strike the right mix between having a consistent look and feel for the reports, while making sure that the documents meet local needs. So how do we do this? First, we involve regional representatives in the early stages of the design process and image selection for the global report to identify ways to make it easier and more cost effective for them to localize (something even more important in the current economic environment). We learned to do this the hard way after discovering too late into the localization process one year, that certain images or phrases did not work well in a number of countries. This year, we involved groups earlier in the process and also built in more flexibility to allow regions to customize parts of the report as needed. Also, this was the first year that we went with a design that didn't use a single image on the cover - rather a simple "Intel blue" cover with a single phrase that could be easily translated into multiple languages. Seems like a small point, but it has saved a lot of time and resulted in a more consistent look and feel across all of the reports.
Perhaps most important, is that the localization strategy and plans are driven at the local level. We rely on local CSR leads to determine the right mix of regional, country, or site reports for their region. At the end of the day, we don't want to do localization for localization's sake, but develop reports where they are most needed.
Suzanne Fallender is Intel’s Director of Corporate Responsibility. In this role, she collaborates with key stakeholders across the company to integrate corporate responsibility concepts into company strategies, policies, public reporting, and stakeholder engagement activities to advance Intel’s corporate responsibility leadership and create positive social impact and business value. Suzanne leads a team of experienced professionals who engage with internal and external groups to review Intel’s corporate responsibility performance and to identify new opportunities to apply Intel’s technology and expertise to address social and environmental challenges. The team also works closely with Intel’s investor relations and corporate governance groups to drive an integrated outreach strategy with investors on governance and corporate responsibility issues. Suzanne has more than 20 years of experience in the field of corporate responsibility and socially responsible investment. During her time at Intel, Suzanne has held a number of corporate responsibility-related roles, including leading programs empowering girls and women through technology. Prior to Intel, Suzanne served as Vice President at Institutional Shareholder Services where she managed the firm’s socially responsible investing division. Suzanne holds an M.B.A. from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University and a B.A. from Trinity College in Hartford, CT. She has served on a number of leading industry advisory boards and committees on sustainability and corporate responsibility over the past decade and currently is a member of the Net Impact Board of Directors. Follow Suzanne on Twitter at @sfallender.