If you are interested in helping organizations ensure their practices, processes, products and procedures are ethical, sustainable and environmentally friendly, then you might be interested in a career as a corporate social responsibility manager.
Below we've outlined what you'll need to become a social responsibility manager. We've also included helpful information, such as a description of what you would do, what your duties would be, the average salary level in this field, a list of possible employers, and much more!
Education Needed to Become a Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
The educational requirements to work in this field vary from employer to employer, and from position to position.
Having said that, you will likely need at least a bachelor’s degree in a field such as political science, economics, business, environmental science or communications. Because of the complexity of the position, having a master’s or doctoral degree in any of the aforementioned fields is preferred.
General Job Description
Corporate social responsibility managers, also known as corporate social responsibility directors, oversee the development and implementation of a corporation’s social responsibility objectives. These objectives may include minimizing the effects the corporation has on the environment, promoting human rights, giving back to the community, or others. Corporate social responsibility managers must ensure that their efforts benefit the company and the community it serves.
Typical Duties of the Job
• Ensure that the organization is open to employees from all different walks of life
• Reinforce the social responsibility policies of the company through internal communication
• Attract new recruits by ensuring a positive public perception of the company
• Ensure that promotion form within is taken seriously by management
• Confer with Internal Compliance personnel to ensure policies and best practices are in place to minimize risk to the public
• Confer with the Marketing department to oversee company branding
• Communicate to the public through marketing and public relations efforts that social responsibility is taken seriously
Who Employs Them?
Corporate social responsibility managers are typically full-time salaried employees, although it is not uncommon for them to work as consultants, contractors or on an interim basis. They often work for the following types of organizations:
• Publicly owned corporation
• Private Corporation
• Charitable organization or NGO
• Federal, provincial/state or municipal government agency
• University or college
Value of an Effective Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
By having a great CSR strategy and hiring an effective corporate social responsibility manager, an organization is not only putting itself in a position to accomplish philanthropic goals, it is putting itself in a position to increase profitability by reducing waste, and attracting top level talent by creating an attractive reputation.
Career Experience Needed to Work in This Field
A career as a corporate social responsibility manager is considered a senior level, or executive level position. As such, corporate social responsibility managers typically have a significant amount of management experience in a variety of fields, including public policy, accounting, communications and other similar fields.
Job Opportunities
Our job board below has corporate social responsibility manager postings in your area of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, when available:
Similar Occupational Profiles in Our System
Listed below are jobs that are similar in nature to this one, as they involve many of the same skills, competencies and responsibilities.
• Intergovernmental Relations Coordinator
• Lobbyist
References
Please consult the references below to find more information on the various aspects of this profession:
Occupations in Alberta: “Marketing Manager.” (March 31, 2018). ALIS website - Alberta Learning Information Service. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
Articles: “What Does a Corporate Responsibility Manager Do?” Gregory Unruh (August 11, 2015). MIT Sloan website. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
Public Administration: “Corporate Social Responsibility Manager.” (October 14, 2019). Villanova University website. Retrieved November 8, 2019.
Scholarships for Becoming a Corporate Social Responsibility Manager
Scholarships listed for majors that pertain to this career can be found on our All Scholarships by Major page.
Success Tip: Be sure to apply for any scholarships that you even barely qualify for, as there are millions of dollars of scholarships that go unused every year due to a lack of applicants!
Relevant Majors
Studying one of the university majors listed below is an excellent starting point to becoming a corporate social responsibility. Click on the links to find out what else you can do with these majors!
