Research undertaken by Meetings Professionals International (MPI) and the UK Centre for Events Management (UKCEM) at Leeds Beckett University has shown event attendees increasingly want to see a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) report submitted for an event they attend; currently, only 25% of event organisers do this. As we navigate our way out of the pandemic, the demand for this information is only likely to increase.
After months of fixating on the present and longing for the past, we’re all tentatively looking forward and turning our focus to the future. Over this past year, many CSR goals will have fallen by the wayside as companies have been dedicated to keeping themselves and their employees afloat; but as we now cautiously approach the return to some semblance of normality, it’s important to make up for lost time and your organisation’s impact on the world is more important now than ever.
Social
In reconsidering these wider goals for a post-pandemic world, supporting and educating future talent is essential. The arts in particular has taken an industry-wide hit, and the value of music and education has been brought to the forefront in its absence. We need now to focus on the future world-leading talent, the educators of tomorrow and the next generation, who are responsible for continuing the tradition of music and performance – they just need the right tools to do so.
This is why visiting or planning events at venues such as ours is so important. Hosting events with us, whether performances, conferences, meetings, gala dinners, or product launches, enables us to build revenue that can be invested back into the College, whether it’s funding the study of one of our students – over 50% of whom benefit from our scholarship programme – or ensuring we can provide access to the best facilities, world-class instruments, and finest educators, to encourage talent and help bring future success to the next generation. Our aim is to ensure this is as inclusive and wide-reaching as possible. Hosting an event at the RCM helps support talent, promote innovation, and widen access of music education.
Our outreach programmes are an example of how many people can be touched by music and the opportunities it brings. We nurture the prospects of talented children as young as eight years old so that they can explore their gift with their families and our trained practitioners, supported by RCM students.
All of this crucial work needs funding and the space to take place, which is why we continually invest in the venue, its facilities and outreach programmes to ensure we can provide the best environment and tools for all.
Environmental
It’s important to be aware that CSR is not just measured on how socially responsible an organisation is, but also on how environmentally responsible it is. Climate change is arguably the greatest threat facing the world today and at the RCM we have an ambition to reduce our impact on the environment and be a leader in the sector by tackling climate change. The UK has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and so far, we have exceeded our personal targets and have reduced emissions by 60% despite growing our estate. This is well above the sector target of 42%, and this is just the start of our journey to being greener. With this in mind, an event with us may well have a lower impact on the environment than some other venues, which is another positive tick on the CSR agenda for our clients!
Economic
As part of any CSR strategy, generating a profit for shareholders when planning your event is an important factor but it should not be your only focus – this needs to be considered of course and who doesn’t want the best deal? But it’s imperative it’s a three-pronged approach alongside social and environmental considerations. In the immediate future, as we navigate this new events landscape, I expect virtual components of an event will continue as an important way to reach new audiences and engage with overseas supporters and partners. At RCM, we are able to offer these services in-house and at competitive pricing to help keep costs down, and procurement teams happy!
It’s important to note that it’s not just the future generation of music talent, the environment and your bank balance that will benefit by booking an event at the RCM, CSR initiatives have a positive impact on employee wellbeing, motivation and engagement. They can, and are proven to, contribute to the ease of hiring quality staff, employee retention, commitment and motivation, all of which leads to increased innovation and productivity. Working for an organisation that expresses its values and passions through CSR can go even further to help inspire employees’ creative involvement, including generating new and practical ideas, and creative problem-solving.
CSR programmes, no matter how big or small, provide an opportunity for corporations and companies to positively engage with communities across all levels of society, which in turn can help increase brand awareness and recognition, as well as customer engagement and loyalty.
An organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility is measured by its social, environmental and economic impact – often referred to as the triple bottom line. And when it comes to this triple bottom line, we are the triple threat! So, get in touch and let’s see how planning an event together can create a positive impact on society, the environment, your employees, customers, shareholders, and on the future of music.