A PROJECT ON

CSR ACTIVITIES OF GOOGLE

IN THE SUBJECT

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT
SUBMITTED BY NAME: AMAN SHETH ROLL NO.: 52. DIVISION: M.COM (BUSINESS MANAGEMENT)
UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF PROF. PRERNA SHARMA TO UNIVERSITY OF MUMBAI FOR MASTER OF COMMERCE PROGRAM (SEMESTER - I) YEAR: 2013-14 SVKMS NARSEE MONJEE COLLEGE OF COMMERCE &ECONOMICS VILE PARLE (W), MUMBAI 400056.

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EVALUATION CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the undersigned have assessed and evaluated the project on CSR Activities of Google submitted by Aman Sheth, student of M.Com. Part - I (Semester I) Business Management, for the academic year 2013-14. This project is original to the best of our knowledge and has been accepted for Internal Assessment.

Name & Signature of Internal Examiner

Name & Signature of External Examiner

PRINCIPAL Shri Sunil B.Mantri

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DECLARATION BY THE STUDENT

I, Aman Sheth, student of M.Com. (Part I) Business Management, Roll No.: 052, hereby declare that the project titled CSR Activities of Google for the subject STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT submitted by me for Semester I of the academic year 2013-14, is based on actual work carried out by me under the guidance and supervision of PROF. Prerna Sharma, I further state that this work is original and not submitted anywhere else for any examination.

Place: Mumbai

Date: 24th February, 2014

Name & Signature of Student

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

It is indeed a great pleasure and proud privilege to present this project work. I thank my project guide Prof. Prerna Sharma and my M.Com. Co-ordinator Prof. Harish Sharma of SVKMs Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. Their co-operation and guidance have helped me to complete this project. I would sincerely like to thank the principal of our college Shri Sunil B. Mantri for his support and guidance.

I would also like to thank the college library and staff for helping and guiding me, the class representatives and my family and friends who supported me in this project.

THANK YOU

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CONTENT

Sr. No.

PARTICULARS

Page No.

Chapter I Chapter II Chapter III Chapter IV Chapter V Chapter VI Chapter VII Chapter VIII

Introduction What is Corporate Social Responsibility 4 Types of CSR Why Google is one of the best CSR companies Googles CSR Activities Advantage to Google Conclusion Bilbliography

6 7 10 12 13 24 26 28

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Chapter I: Introduction
Google Inc. is an American multinational corporation specializing in Internet-related services and products. These include search, computing, software and online advertising technologies. Most of its profits are derived from AdWords. Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University. Together they own about 16 percent of its shares. They incorporated Google as a privately held company on September 4, 1998. An initial public offering followed on August 19, 2004. Its mission statement from the outset was "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful", and its unofficial slogan was "Don't be evil". In 2006 Google moved to headquarters in Mountain View, California, nicknamed the Googleplex. Rapid growth since incorporation has triggered a chain of products, acquisitions and partnerships beyond Google's core search engine. It offers online productivity software including email (Gmail), an office suite (Google Drive), and social networking (Google+). Desktop products include applications for web browsing, organizing and editing photos, and instant messaging. The company leads the development of the Android mobile operating system and the browser-only Chrome OS for a specialized type of netbook known as a Chromebook. Google has moved increasingly into communications hardware: it partners with major electronics manufacturers in production of its high-end Nexus devices and acquired Motorola Mobility in May 2012. In 2012, a fiberoptic infrastructure was installed in Kansas City to facilitate a Google Fiber broadband service. The corporation has been estimated to run more than one million servers in data centers around the world and to process over one billion search requests and about 24 petabytes of user-generated data each day. In December 2012 Alexa listed google.com as the most visited website in the world. Numerous Google sites in other languages figure in the top one hundred, as do several other Google-owned sites such asYouTube and Blogger. Its market dominance has led to criticism over issues including copyright, censorship, and privacy

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Chapter II: What is CSR?

CSR is about how companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society. Take the following illustration:

Companies need to answer to two aspects of their operations: 1. The quality of their management - both in terms of people and processes (the inner circle). 2. The nature of, and quantity of their impact on society in the various areas. Outside stakeholders are taking an increasing interest in the activity of the company. Most look to the outer circle - what the company has actually done, good or bad, in terms of its products and services, in terms of its impact on the environment and on local communities, or in how it treats and develops its workforce. Out of the various stakeholders, it is financial
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analysts who are predominantly focused - as well as past financial performance - on quality of management as an indicator of likely future performance.

Other definitions The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publicationMaking Good Business Sense by Lord Holme and Richard Watts, used the following definition. Corporate Social Responsibility is the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large

The same report gave some evidence of the different perceptions of what this should mean from a number of different societies across the world. Definitions as different as CSR is about capacity building for sustainable livelihoods. It respects cultural differences and finds the business opportunities in building the skills of employees, the community and the government from Ghana, through to CSR is about business giving back to society from the Philippines. Traditionally in the United States, CSR has been defined much more in terms of a philanthropic model. Companies make profits, unhindered except by fulfilling their duty to pay taxes. Then they donate a certain share of the profits to charitable causes. It is seen as tainting the act for the company to receive any benefit from the giving. The European model is much more focused on operating the core business in a socially responsible way, complemented by investment in communities for solid business case reasons. Personally, I believe this model is more sustainable because: Social responsibility becomes an integral part of the wealth creation process - which if managed properly should enhance the competitiveness of business and maximise the value of wealth creation to society. When times get hard, there is the incentive to practice CSR more and better - if it is a philanthropic exercise which is peripheral to the main business, it will always be the first thing to go when push comes to shove.

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But as with any process based on the collective activities of communities of human beings (as companies are) there is no 'one size fits all'. In different countries, there will be different priorities, and values that will shape how business act. And even the observations above are changing over time. The US has growing numbers of people looking towards core business issues.

For instance, the CSR definition used by Business for Social Responsibility is: Operating a business in a manner that meets or exceeds the ethical, legal, commercial and public expectations that society has of business.

On the other hand, the European Commission hedges its bets with two definitions wrapped into one: A concept whereby companies decide voluntarily to contribute to a better society and a cleaner environment. A concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis. When you review each of these, they broadly agree that the definition now focuses on the impact of how you manage your core business. Some go further than others in prescribing how far companies go beyond managing their own impact into the terrain of acting specifically outside of that focus to make a contribution to the achievement of broader societal goals. It is a key difference, when many business leaders feel that their companies are ill equipped to pursue broaders societal goals, and activists argue that companies have no democratic legitimacy to take such roles.

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Chapter III: 4 types of CSR

The idea behind corporate social responsibility is that companies have multiple responsibilities to maintain. These responsibilities can be arranged in a pyramid, with basic responsibilities closer to the bottom. As a business meets lower-level responsibilities that obligate it to shareholders and the law, it can move on to the higher level responsibilities that benefit society.

Economic Responsibilities A company's first responsibility is its economic responsibility -- that is to say, a company needs to be primarily concerned with turning a profit. This is for the simple fact that if a company does not make money, it won't last, employees will lose jobs and the company won't even be able to think about taking care of its social responsibilities. Before a company thinks about being a good corporate citizen, it first needs to make sure that it can be profitable.
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Legal Responsibilities A company's legal responsibilities are the requirements that are placed on it by the law. Next to ensuring that company is profitable, ensuring that it obeys all laws is the most important responsibility, according to the theory of corporate social responsibility. Legal responsibilities can range from securities regulations to labor law, environmental law and even criminal law.

Ethical Responsibilities Economic and legal responsibilities are the two big obligations of a company. After a company has met these basic requirements, a company can concern itself with ethical responsibilities. Ethical responsibilities are responsibilities that a company puts on itself because its owners believe it's the right thing to do -- not because they have an obligation to do so. Ethical responsibilities could include being environmentally friendly, paying fair wages or refusing to do business with oppressive countries, for example.

Philanthropic Responsibilities If a company is able to meet all of its other responsibilities, it can begin meeting philanthropic responsibilities. Philanthropic responsibilities are responsibilities that go above and beyond what is simply required or what the company believes is right. They involve making an effort to benefit society -- for example, by donating services to community organizations, engaging in projects to aid the environment or donating money to charitable

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Chapter IV: Why Google is one of the top CSR companies

Since its founding, Google has been firmly committed to active philanthropy and to addressing the global challenges of climate change, education and poverty alleviation. Since 2007, Google also jump-started a series of social initiatives in China. Google has been successful in building a perception of caring around the world. They are seen as a company that treats their people well. It ranks number one in the world in this dimensionand that is a great platform to stand on. The logic is, that if you treat your own people well you are open, honest, and a caring company. And through its focus on this dimension, Google has been able to be seen as a local company in many countries around the world.

Jacquelline Fuller, director of Google Giving, says: At Google we are big believers in the power of technology. Giving back is a huge part of what motivates us as a company, and as individuals. We invest in social entrepreneurs who are using technology to crack the code on the worlds toughest problems. Last year we invested in tech-based efforts to expand access to clean water, stop wildlife poaching, prevent the horrible practice of human trafficking and reduce poverty worldwide. In addition to our dollars, we provide Googlers everyone from engineers, marketers to business operations guruswho help nonprofit teams carry out their work. Googlers are intensely passionate about everything they do, and that includes rolling up their sleeves to make their communities a better placewhether its responding to natural disasters, tutoring kids in computer science or helping nonprofits collect real-time impact data. In the past three years, Google has donated over $353 million in grants worldwide, approximately $3 billion in free ads, apps and products, and Googlers have volunteered approximately 6,200 total days of employee time to support nonprofits (a total of 150,000 hours).

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Chapter V: Googles CSR activities

1. Google Green

Google Green is a project created by Google with its main purpose to make their products help save energy, for the better of the environment. Google is creating a better web that's better for the environment.Theyre greening our company by using resources efficiently and supporting renewable power. That means when you use Google products, youre being better to the environment. Google Green focuses on 3 main fields to reduce its carbon footprint: Efficiency Renewable Energy Products

Efficiency:

When it comes to the company, Google is constantly looking for ways to minimize its negative impact on the environment. They try to be as efficient as possible in the way they power their huge Data Centers & Google offices.

Data centers Data centers power all of the products and services. For over ten years, Theyve been building some of the most efficient data centers in the world. In fact, Googles data centers use 50% less energy than the typical data center. The Data centers are designed to use as little energy as possible

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They drive down the cost and environmental impact of running the data centers by designing and building their own facilities. Google installs smart temperature controls, use free-cooling techniques like using outside air or reused water for cooling, and redesign how power is distributed to reduce unnecessary energy loss. They calculate the performance of each facility using comprehensive efficiency measurements.

Recycle 100% of the electronic equipment that leaves the data centers Since 2007, Google has repurposed enough outdated servers to avoid buying over 300,000 new replacement machines. Before they buy new equipment and materials, they look for ways to reuse what they already have. When they cant find a new use for our equipment, they completely erase any components that store data, and then resell them into the marketgiving the equipment a second life.

Certified Google is the first major Internet services company to gain external certification of our high environmental, workplace safety and energy management standards throughout their data centers. Specifically, they received voluntary ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 50001 certifications. In a nutshell, these standards are built around a very simple concept: Say what youre going to do, then do what you sayand then keep improving.

Promote green commuting Google has built a green transportation system that includes biodiesel shuttles and the largest corporate electric vehicle charging system in the country. Every day, the shuttles keep thousands of Googlers out of the driver's seat. The on-campus car-sharing program includes the next generation of plug-in vehicles. And they reward their self-powered commuters by donating to their favorite charities based on how often they bike or walk to work.

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Committed to sustainable food Google is committed to offering nutritious, flavorful food to employees on all of their campuses worldwide. They provide healthy choices, local tastes and plenty of variety in the most responsible way possible. Social and environmental responsibility is built into every part of the food program: from the partnerships they develop with farmers and suppliers to the efforts to minimize waste.

Build greener, healthier workplaces Google works hard to create the healthiest, most productive work environment possible for Googlers around the world. They create buildings that function like living and breathing systems by optimizing access to nature, clean air and daylight. Three of the key initiatives as part of this effort include eliminating dangerous substances, designing energy-efficient buildings and continually measuring and improving upon how they operate their buildings.

Renewable Energy

At Google, they power their company with 100% renewable energy. In addition to the environmental benefits, Google sees renewable energy as a business opportunity and continue to invest in accelerating its development. They believe that by helping power more of the world with renewable energy, Theyre creating a better future for everyone. Google has been recognized for our commitment to using and investing in renewable power, and for reducing our overall environmental impact. Google co-founded the Climate Savers Computing Initiative in 2007 and joined The Green Gridtwo global groups dedicated to higher efficiency and sustainability standards.

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Pilot new technology on our campuses When testing new renewable energy technologies on the campuses, they evaluate them against a few criteria: They must make good business sense, have potential for long-term significant impact and transform the industry. For example, in 2007, Google installed the largest corporate solar panel installation of its kind1.7 MWat our Mountain View campus.Theyve grown the size of the system to 1.9 MW, and it generates enough electricity to power 30% of the peak load of the buildings on which it sits.

Purchase green power near data centers Currently, very little of the worlds power is from renewables like wind and solar. Google is working on changing that by buying renewable energy from their utility providers and wind farms near their data centers. They get clean energy at competitive prices, the wind farm owners get the money they need to finance new clean energy facilities, and together make the grid a little bit greener.

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 Products

Google is dedicated to make sure that all of its products provide a eco friendly option to its consumers. It encourages consumers to use these techniques & also provides great means for connectivity for spreading information about its Green initiatives.

Google Earth is one of the most used technological tools by activists to keep an eye of any kind of wrong doing throughout the world. It enables them to keep a look out at places where they might not be able to reach. They have stopped various mountain drillings & mining activities with the help of Earth.

Google map encourages people to use their cycles or take a bus to work by providing the latest information on both. They give times of the bus arrival & if it will be late. They also give you the address of the nearest charging stations for an electronically powered car.

Google Cloud enables companies to make away with using physical storage systems and reduces e-waste. Google data centers use less ta 50% of energy used by other data centers. This enables them to make use of their resources efficiently.

Google finance gives yearly data about how other companies are striving to include the environment in their activities. It keeps a check on which company is harming or helping the environment & helps create change.

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2. Google Grants

Google Grants is an in-kind donation program awarding free AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. Since its inception, Google has supported hundreds of organizations in advocating and promoting their causes, from animal rights and literacy to abandoned children and HIV education.

Room to Read, which educates children in Vietnam, Nepal, India and Cambodia, attracted a sponsor who clicked on its AdWords ad. He has donated funds to support the education of 25 girls for the next 10 years. The US Fund for UNICEFs e-commerce site, Shop UNICEF, has experienced a 43 percent increase in sales over the previous year. CoachArt, supporting children with life-threatening illnesses through art and athletics programs, has seen a 60 to 70 percent increase in volunteers.

Sichuan earthquake: To support the vast and urgent need for material resources, Google and its employees raised over 18 million RMB (USD 2.6mm) and donated over 7 million RMB (USD 1.02mm) s worth of free online advertising to earthquake relief organizations. At the same time, Google also developed a communication platform that included an information platform for resource support, a search platform for families looking for lost relatives, and a global platform for charitable donations. Google Maps also provided Chinas State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping with satellite images of quake-affected regions to better aid and direct rescue efforts. In the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake in China, Google Grants also supported the China Red Cross, China Charity Federation, China Youth Development Foundation, China Children and Teenagers Fund and other organizations with free in-kind advertising of over 6 million RMB. Now, Jet Lis One Foundation and his umbrella organizations have also started using Google Grants to promote the cause of corporate philanthropy.

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3. Google China Social Innovation Cup for College Students

"Google China Social Innovation Cup for College Students" is a nationwide competition that aims to empower Chinas youth to become agents of social change. By soliciting project ideas from college students and funding viable proposals, they hope to instill in Chinas future leaders the values of social responsibility, the importance of community welfare, and the spirit of self-empowerment. Among all colleges and universities that participate in the competition, 100 of them that top in the number of proposal submission will share 500 Google "Campus Volunteer Stars" Scholarships every year.

Social issues addressed have included education, poverty alleviation, disability aid, healthcare, women and children, arts and culture, and community development. Through project evaluation, mentorship and funding, Google hopes play a role in driving true social innovation in China.

The first Social Innovation Cup in 2008 achieved resounding success, with over 6000 applications from 755 colleges and universities, among which 1245 proposals from 375 schools entered into the semi-finals. At the same time, over a thousand volunteers from more than 500 schools were mobilized to support the effort. Of the 124 projects that entered the final, 32 were ultimately selected for awards ranging from 10,000-80,000 RMB (USD 1,460-11,700). The second Social Innovation Cup in 2009 continued to gain awareness among college students with 6,252 applications from 766 colleges and universities, among which 1,181 proposals from 377 schools entered into the semi-finals. 29 proposals were selected as the winning projects who received Google's funds to run their projects during the summer of 2009.

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In 2010, the competition has entered its third year with much bigger coverage and impact. Among the 18,200 proposals from 1,060 schools, 1,511 proposals from 506 schools has made to the semi-final round. 28 student teams were selected to be funded to run their projects in 2010 summer.

In 2011 the fourth episode of the competition kicked off with an even broader coverage and a higher nationwide recognition. Among the 20,600 proposals from 1,278 colleges and universities, 3,326 proposals from 677 schools made their way into the semi-finals and 310 proposals from 172 schools into the finals. Winner teams, approximately 40 expected, that stand out in the end will run their projects in 2011 summer with Google awards ranging from 20,000 to 80,000 RMB (USD 3,050-12,200).

Dr. Eric Schmidt, Google's Executive Chairman, sent his encouragement to all participants: "It's amazing to see the creative, meaningful solutions coming out of Google China Social Innovation Cup. Today's students are tomorrow's innovators, and the fresh perspective you bring is crucial to solving the world's big social issues."

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4. Google Social Impact Challenge India:

Googles Global Impact Awards support entrepreneurial non-profits using technology to tackle some of the worlds toughest problems. Previous awardees have developed projects ranging from technology that allowed under-privileged students to access maths and science education to real-time sensors that help ensure people have better access to clean water.

Google launched the Google Impact Challenge in India, asking Indian non-profits how they would use technology to tackle problems in India and around the world. The four submissions judged to be the best will each receive Rs 3 crores and technical assistance from Google to help make their project a reality. Google is celebrating the spirit of creativity, diversity and entrepreneurship that are the hallmarks of the worlds largest democracy, by enabling the best local non-profits that are using technology to make the world better, faster. This is also part of Googles ongoing giving efforts. Every year they give away approximately $100 million in grants, $1 billion in free and discounted apps and ads, and 50,000 employee volunteer hours around the world. In 2012, Google launched the Global Impact Awards to support entrepreneurial nonprofits with a tech idea for how to change the world. In addition to backing Indian social innovators, Google wants to shine a spotlight on the many Indian non-profits working to help solve some of the worlds most pressing challenges. This is Googles first Challenge in India and only its second overall.

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5. Fight against slavery:

Google donated $11.5 million to several coalitions fighting to end the modernday slavery of some 27 million people around the world. In what is believed to be the largest ever corporate grant devoted to the advocacy, intervention and rescue of people being held, forced to work or provide sex against their will, Google said it chose organizations with proven records in combating slavery. Many people are surprised to learn there are more people trapped in slavery today than any time in history, said Jacquelline Fuller, director of charitable giving and advocacy for Google. The good news is that there are solutions. The Washington, D.C.-based International Justice Mission, a human rights organization that works globally to rescue victims of slavery and sexual exploitation, was chosen by Google to lead the efforts. It will partner with Polaris Project and Slavery Footprint and a handful of smaller organizations for the multi-year effort to rescue the enslaved, push for better infrastructure and resources for anti-slavery enforcement agencies overseas, as well as raise awareness here in the United States and help countries draft anti-slavery legislation. Each year we focus some of our annual giving on meeting direct human need, Fuller said. Google chose to spotlight the issue of slavery because there is nothing more fundamental than freedom. Gary A. Haugen, president of the International Justice Mission, said the coalition would focus on three initiatives: A $3.5 million intervention project to fight forced labor in India; a $4.5 million advocacy campaign in India to educate and protect the vulnerable; and a $1.8 million plan to mobilize Americans on behalf of the millions currently at risk of slavery or waiting for rescue around the world. The remaining $1.7 million will go to several smaller organizations working to combat slavery. The trafficking of women for the sex trade is common in big American cities. Some illegal immigrants find themselves forced to work in sweatshops, in private homes as domestic servants or on farms without pay under the threat of deportation. The new effort will launch initiatives that ordinary Americans can take to help abolish modern-day slavery, such as understanding how their own clothing or smart phones might contain fabrics or components manufactured by forced labor.
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Whether its by calling the national human trafficking hotline, sending a letter to their senator, or using online advocacy tools, millions of Americans will be able to use their voices to ensure that ending this problem becomes a top priority, said Bradley Myles, executive director of Polaris Project. Google.org the philanthropy arm of the Silicon Valley firm announced the anti-slavery effort as part of its $40 million in end-of-year giving that brings its charitable donations to more than $100 million in 2011. The grants will also support science, technology, engineering and math education; girls education in the developing world; and the use of technology for social good. Justin Dillon, the founder of Slavery Footprint, said the Google grant would allow the movement to move from anecdote and emotion, to tangible action that could make a dent in history. Having a company like Google recognize the value of our work marks a major turning point for the anti-slavery movement, said Dillon, whose nonprofit gives consumers some tools to determine whether slaves were used in the making of their goods and teaches them to use social media to sound off about slavery and engage with corporations about their supply chains.

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Chapter VI: Advantage to Google

Google isnt investing billions into clean energy projects only to feel good and make employees happy. The company is doing it because the bottom line results are supported by data. While fossil-based prices are on a cost curve that goes up, renewable prices are on this march downward, said Rick Needham, director of energy and sustainability at Google, during a presentation at the Cleantech Forum taking place in San Francisco. Even if you factor in how fracking has reduced the cost of gas in many regions, the pricing trends generally point toward renewables. The reason, one could argue, centers on the energy source. The renewable industry revolves around developing and mass manufacturing technologiesefficient turbines, solar panels to harvest somewhat limitless, omnipresent natural resources. The fossil industry revolves around applying technology to tapping resources that are much harder to extract. Hence, fossil fuels tend to be more volatile in price. (Think of it: you wake up because of the sun every day, not because of the stench from a passing methane cloud.)

49% of the new capacity commissioned in the U.S. in 2012 was renewable. 10GW of that new capacity, or 40%, came from wind. More wind capacity was installed than natural gas capacity last year in the U.S. Wind outpaced coal by 2X. The capacity factor or the percentage of time that wind turbines are active has increased, he added. Capacity factors now hit 50 percent, thanks to better site selection and improved turbine efficiency. In the past, capacity factor was closer to 30%. Wind farms in optimal sites in the Midwest can produce power for 5 cents a kilowatt hour, and thats before federal tax credits, he said.

The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) from solar plants in the U.S. dropped by 28% in the past year. Solar panels have dropped in price by 80 percent over the last five years.

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Solar will soon be at cost parity in many markets in the world. Parity is already being achieved in Italy, Spain and Australia. The 240 EV chargers in the parking lots support a corporate EV fleet that has logged 500,000 miles.

Google has procured 260MW of wind power. Some wind contracts will provide Google power at stable prices for up to 20 years.

The company has also invested $1 billion directly into alternative power projects that will generate over 2GW of power, or twice as much power as Google used in 2011.

An employee frustrated with his commute inspired Google to set up its own van pool. Now, 4,500 employees ride on the Google shuttle fleet. The custom-built coaches run on a biodiesel blend and come equipped with WiFi so employees can work during the commute. It has taken 3,000 cars off the road and reduces carbon emissions by 16,000 tons annually.

Plus, the van pool lets Google use parking spaces for more productive uses. (Real estate actually has become one of the big hidden benefits for many companies when it comes to efficiency incentives, so say building management companies, modular builders and people that develop technology that reduces the amount of air conditioners and backup systems you need for data centers.)

Googles data centers use half as much power as conventional ones. The company has saved over $1 billion in energy costs through data center initiatives. (Authors note: youre probably wondering about the photo of the Lego structure. That is the first Google storage system ever. You can see it in the Gates building on the Stanford campus.)

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Chapter VII: Conclusion

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not going to solve the worlds problems. That said, CSR is a way for companies to benefit themselves while also benefiting society. Efficient use of CSR leads to:

Innovation I But in the context of CSR, innovation is a huge benefit to a company and society. Without sustainability, the companys research and development efforts possibly wouldnt have led to such a product.

Cost savings One of the easiest places for a company to start engaging in sustainability is to use it as a way to cut costs. Whether its using less packaging or less energy, these savings add up quickly.

Brand differentiation In the past, brand differentiation was one of the primary reasons companies embraced CSR.. However, as CSR has become more commonplace, using it to differentiate your brand is getting harder to do.

Long-term thinking CSR is an effort to look at the companys long-term interest and ensuring that the companys future is. It is a shift from worrying about the next fiscal quarters financial results to the impact business decisions today have on financial (and social) results ten years from now.

Customer engagement Whats the point of doing CSR if no one knows about it? Using CSR can help you engage with your customers in new ways. Since the message is about something good, it can often be an easier way to talk to your customers. This is an underused tool for business-to-business company communication.

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Employee engagement Along similar lines, if your own employees dont know whats going on within your organization, youre missing an opportunity. CSR motivates employees and provides them with the feel good factor.

Hence CSR is one of the most underrated but important tool in the hands of the company to do something good while benefiting themselves. Googles efficient use of CSR activities should be seen as a prime example of how a company can incorporate the environment and innovation to create a better world.

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Chapter VIII: Bibliography:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/michaelkanellos/2013/03/20/google-explains-why-thefuture-of-energy-is-green. http://www.google.cn/intl/en/about/company/responsibility/ http://www.google.co.in/green/ http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/10/02/the-companies-with-thebest-csr-reputations-2/ http://www.indiacsr.in/en/?tag=csr-of-google

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