Corporate Communication Towards the Age of Responsibility: A Case for a New Corporate Communication Model that Adopts Development Communication Values and Drives the Mainstream Integration of Sustainability and Social Responsibility in Business

Abstract

With the approach of what is called the Age of Responsibility, businesses find themselves made more and more accountable to and involved in the development of the larger stakeholder community. The practice of corporate communication, where companies often are seen as the originators of the communication process and society as the audience or recipient of the messages, clearly is no longer aligned with this paradigm shift. Hence, the search for a new model of corporate communication that will ensure the relevance of the function, and respond to the challenge of driving the sustainability agenda in business. This study examined the state of relevance and potential evolution of corporate communication in the context of the increasing convergence of the business and development agenda, and the significant role or influence of development communication in this process. A series of discussions among a panel of seven experts, following the Delphi research method, yielded key agreements and insights on this inquiry. The results confirmed that the sustainability agenda brings with it unique challenges for businesses: balancing environmental, social and financial values while demonstrating short-term profitability, and responding to the diverse, and often divergent, needs of various stakeholders. These developments in turn call for a new way to communicate and relate with internal and external stakeholders as the traditional corporate communication model no longer effectively serves the purpose. It was established that this new model would largely draw from Development Communication values - purpose-driven, value-laden, relevant, participatory, and mass-oriented and would follow the systems theoretical framework. Called Stakeholder Engagement, this new model is differentiated by its strategic, normative, and proactive approach. The new model also espouses transparency, constructive dialogue, and active listening, and focuses on CSR and sustainability as its main purpose. Moreover, it will serve a vital role in driving the development, acceptance and integration of relevant principles, policies and practices supporting sustainability within organizations. As one of the first formal initiatives to study the future of corporate communication in the context of the development agenda, there is an urgent need to promote an awareness of the new model, the reasons for its evolution, and its differences from the traditional approach. Therefore, one of the key tasks ahead is to explore opportunities for discussing this subiect in various industry events and publications. It would also be helpful to conduct case studies of how the communication function is structured and implemented in companies which already are moving forward in sustainability, and identify best practices that others can benchmark against. There is a lot of learning to be gained from sharing lessons and experiences, and documenting, publishing and publicizing these cases and best practices would serve as a valuable resource for those on a similar path. Other recommendations: - Understand the sustainable development agenda and know how this can be served and driven within the corporate context - Understand stakeholder needs and find opportunities for constructive dialogue and partnerships for common solutions - Explore ways of measuring program results in terms of impact on risks or reputation - Learn about international reporting standards, such as the UN's Global Reporting Initiative - Foster opportunities for collaborative work with development communicators and learn from Development Communication, which, as the Stakeholder Engagement model proves, is the key to the future of communication.