CSR Press Release

BOSTON, August 6 /CSRwire/ – Corporate Social Responsibility: Strategies to Create Business and Social Value, a program designed to help executives align corporate social responsibility (CSR) with business strategy and successfully manage through the downturn. Now in its fifth year, this annual Executive Education offering will be held November 4 to 7, 2009, on the HBS campus in Boston.

Targeted to senior executives from a broad range of industries, the curriculum focuses on developing and implementing CSR strategies that reinforce core business practices and yield cost-effective, measurable results in any economic environment. Through this focused learning experience, participants will acquire actionable frameworks for positioning their organization and brand to succeed and endure over time.

"CSR initiatives are more necessary than ever - enabling firms to tackle important societal issues and enhance business success. Effective programs that serve the community in a compelling way and demonstrate a strong potential to influence the business must be retained and grown," said Professor V. Kasturi "Kash" Rangan, faculty chair of this popular leadership training program. Kash shares more insights on the value of CSR in a down economy in his HBS Working Knowledge interview, "Corporate Social Responsibility in a Downturn."

In response to the challenges posed by the global recession, this social enterprise program helps business leaders develop new strategies that satisfy the demands of customers, employees, investors, and governments-and address the economic, social, and environmental impact of their business practices. New case studies on organizations that are successfully aligning CSR initiatives with business strategy, despite an uncertain economy, provide insight for CSR executives who must contend with conflicting demands on limited company resources. By exploring current CSR models, as well as next-generation CSR issues, participants will discover new ways to:

• Present the business case for continuing CSR initiatives during challenging times
  
• Assess risks and rewards before making capital investments or other business decisions
  
• Understand how CSR directly impacts current and future regulatory practices
  
• Align CSR strategies with organizational goals
  
• Identify and explore critical emerging issues facing the field of CSR
  
• Drive CSR throughout the organization
  
• Measure the impact of CSR initiatives on the organization's bottom line
  
• Generate successful interaction with governments, non-governmental organizations, and key stakeholders

By drawing on real-world case studies, classroom discussions, and the latest research, HBS faculty help senior executives examine how successful businesses manage CSR in both good and difficult times.

Participants also gain exposure to global perspectives through their interactions with industry guest speakers and a diverse network of peers.

For more information or to apply online, please visit www.exed.hbs.edu/programs/csr/. Because this program quickly reaches capacity, early application is encouraged.

About Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School is the leading provider of advanced learning opportunities that strengthen the leadership capacity of individuals and their organizations. HBS Executive Education offers a comprehensive portfolio of learning opportunities, including more than 60 open-enrollment programs and custom executive development programs.

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