Staying Connected with Customers Longer and Stronger 2024-06-12

2024 CSR FORUM : Think Collective Act Impactive

On Wednesday, May 22, the ‘2024 CSR Forum: Think Collective Act Impactive,’ co-hosted by Smilegate Foundation and Hanyang University’s Center for Global Social Innovation, was held in the lounge on the first floor of Hanyang University’s HIT building. The forum was attended by CSR professionals from leading domestic companies and institutions.

The forum focused on the theme, ‘CSR Strategies That Engage Employees and Customer Communities.’ Participants explored actionable strategies for implementing CSR programs that are well-received by executives, employees, and the public.

Professor Kim Sangkyun, Kyung Hee University Graduate School of Business 

Empathy and Participation Through Communication — It's Not That Hard

The forum opened with a keynote lecture titled ‘Community Communication Strategies That Drive Empathy and Participation,’ delivered by Professor Kim Sangkyun from the Graduate School of Business at Kyung Hee University. As a cognitive science expert, Professor Kim re-examined the meaning of communication by presenting several case studies and experiments conducted overseas. 

Q. A Strange Couple vs. a Long-Term Couple – Who Wins the Quiz Game?

A study divided two groups — one composed of strangers and the other of long-term couples — and asked each group to answer quizzes about their partner. Most participants assumed the long-term couples would perform better. Surprisingly, however, the results showed no significant difference between the two groups.

This experiment serves as a reminder that people often assume their close and long-standing relationships guarantee mutual understanding — even without communication. Professor Kim advised that the closer the relationship, the more deliberate and precise communication is necessary, cautioning against the assumption that the other person ‘just knows.’ 

Q. How Do You Erect an Ugly Sign in Front of Someone’s House?

An experiment in the U.S. explored how to promote an environmental campaign by placing large, unattractive signs in front of homes. As expected, most people were reluctant to place such unsightly signage in front of their houses. The researchers came up with an alternative: they placed a small sticker in front of one house. Weeks later, they revisited and praised the homeowner, saying the sticker had helped reduce local waste. Then they asked if they could now place the large sign for greater impact. To their surprise, many agreed.

Professor Kim explained, “This is the art of persuasion.” You can’t win someone over all at once. Instead, start with small efforts and gradually open their hearts. Effective communication requires a step-by-step approach.

Q. Which of the Four Interviewees Received the Highest Score?

Is there a secret to gaining others’ favor? A research team conducted an experiment where four candidates were interviewed, and students were asked, ‘Who would you want to pass?’ Candidate 1 had excellent grades and gave a flawless interview. Candidate 2 also had good grades but was nervous, sweated, and made mistakes during the interview. Candidate 3 had poor grades but showed confidence. Candidate 4 had low grades and was visibly nervous during the interview.

So who received the highest score? Opinions among participants were divided. If you guessed Candidate 1, you’d be wrong. Surprisingly, students selected Candidate 2. They felt he was the most ‘human.’ This experiment demonstrated that people are more drawn to authentic emotion than to perfect logic.

Professor Shin Hyun-Sang, Center for Global Social Innovation, Hanyang University 

In the Age of ESG, Why Is CSR Important? CSR Strategies That Resonate with Executives

The next speaker was Professor Shin Hyun-Sang from the Center for Global Social Innovation at Hanyang University, who also serves as the head of the Impact Research Lab. Professor Shin stated, “As ESG reporting and evaluations gain increasing importance, CSR will become a core strategy for companies to build meaningful relationships with society.” He emphasized that “we need to view ESG from the investor’s perspective.” 

Beyond financial indicators such as revenue and operating profit, non-financial information like ESG management is becoming critically important to investors.

The rapid growth of ESG investment is evident across various metrics. Moreover, the MZ generation (Millennials and Gen Z) values non-financial factors such as human rights, environmental issues, and ethics, and they are increasingly making consumption choices based on these values. Consequently, executives are beginning to recognize the importance of ESG management, including CSR. 

Professor Shin concluded that companies will invest more in strengthening their non-financial competitiveness. As a result, there will be a growing trend to emphasize CSR in corporate management activities moving forward.

An Yeon-Jin, Director of the Social Welfare Foundation ‘Warm Companion’ 

Strategic CSR for a Sustainable Society and Company

An Yeon-Jin, Director of the social welfare foundation ‘Warm Companion,’ gave a lecture on “Strategic CSR for a Sustainable Society and Company.” She stated, “We are living in an era of crisis where no one can guarantee the sustainability of businesses or society,” and emphasized that “CSR ultimately serves to tightly connect society and people.” She added, “While government policies and societal efforts are important, companies can earn consumer trust by contributing to sustainability.” She advised that “companies must proactively identify social issues they care about, set a direction for social contribution, and find partner organizations to work with.” Accordingly, she introduced the concept of “Collective Impact,” in which companies and organizations collaborate to solve social problems and pursue shared goals through mid- to long-term projects. Here are five essential on-site practices required for the success of Collective Impact. 

Five practical strategies for successful CSR through Collective Impact.

1. Regularly communicate with partner organizations to co-design social contribution goals and measurement frameworks.

2. Actively share each participant’s experiences. Comparing diverse perspectives helps define social issues more clearly.

3. Ensure the sustainability of partnerships by evenly distributing and carrying out roles and responsibilities.

4. Continuously reflect on whether the partner organizations are trustworthy and whether the project execution is effective.

5. Listen carefully to voices from the field and strive to source ideas directly from on-site experiences.

Ryu Kyung-Man, Secretary General of the ‘CJ Welfare Foundation’

An All-In-One Strategy from Participation to Impact

Ryu Kyung-Man, Secretary General of the ‘CJ Welfare Foundation,’ introduced a variety of CSR initiatives based on the group CEO’s philosophy that ‘corporations should become dream keepers for young people.’ He explained the foundation’s 20-year history of providing access to cultural content and supporting growth opportunities through creative activities and academic pursuits. During the forum, he presented four key success factors—or ‘buzzwords’—for CSR program success, highlighting the ‘Cultural Dream Keeper Model’ implemented by the foundation.

Four Buzzwords for CSR Program Success

1. Authenticity Move people’s hearts through communication and empathy. Authenticity is only recognized through continuous effort.  

2. Continuity Provide continuous support programs across life stages, from elementary students to young adults.

3. Program Integration The “Donors Camp” supports children and youth in growing up healthy with equal opportunities. The program is designed in collaboration with local children’s centers, educational institutions, and volunteer organizations.

4. Employee Participation Employee participation is crucial to the success of corporate CSR. Various programs—such as kiosk donations, regular giving, and mentoring—have been developed to encourage active involvement from staff. 

Park Jaehee, Team Lead at Smilegate Foundation

Building Up CSR That Creates Social Impact

In the final session of the forum, Park Jaehee, Team Lead at Smilegate Foundation, gave a presentation titled ‘Building Up CSR That Creates Social Impact.’ She shared two key elements that enabled Smilegate, as a game company, to generate meaningful social impact.

Two Key Elements Behind Smilegate’s Social Impact

1. Authentic Problem-Solving Rooted in Communication

Smilegate values communication with game users. In corporate CSR activities, authenticity is a highly important value. Smilegate Foundation has evolved its programs by focusing on addressing overlooked social issues in blind spots. To identify these blind spots, they actively listened to people on the ground, explored real problems, and engaged in dialogue to discover practical solutions. 

2. A Fun and Enjoyable Culture of Giving 

The entertainment industry pursues the value of ‘fun.’ Smilegate Foundation strives to create a donation culture where users can find joy and fulfillment in participating in giving programs. In October last year, they launched a donation platform incorporating the concept of gamification to encourage enjoyable participation from donors. 

The donation platform features campaigns supporting a variety of causes, including vulnerable populations in blind spots, protection of stray animals, and self-supporting youths*. In particular, Smilegate Foundation’s platform is built around two key concepts: ‘FUNding,’ which refers to fundraising campaigns, and ‘HEALing,’ which involves volunteer programs. 

Park Jaehee emphasized, “The reason Smilegate Foundation has been able to generate impact in solving social issues is because we’ve prioritized two values: fun and communication.” She added, “Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen our role as a CSR platform to deliver authentic social contributions in partnership with many institutions and companies.” 

*Self-supporting youths: Young individuals who must transition into society after turning 18 and aging out of child welfare facilities.