I chose the content of this meme after we visited Allied Irish Banks and they told us the imminent dangers that our planet is facing if we don’t comply with climate regulations. I found it ironic that we, as American students, were being lectured about how our country’s government is failing to even acknowledge that climate change exists.
Even after throwing away many things and being in Dublin for eight days, I still struggle with understanding where each item of trash goes. I am pretty sure I spent 5 minutes in front of the trash can in McDonalds trying to make sure I put the trash in the right places.
We were introduced to multiple kinds of companies this past week who emphasized the importance of authenticity and sustainability over profits. Smaller firms like Alice PR and much bigger companies like William Fry both stressed the importance of choosing clients with good track records of CSR and turning away clients that have history of poor sustainability practices.
It’s hard to ignore how often companies flaunt their green initiatives and social advocacy commitments.
Like a 5-cent euro, once pointed out, it seems to be everywhere. While these promises sound appealing, hearing from companies like Allied Irish Bank and William Fry Law makes me question their motives in promoting sustainability and social advocacy.
I often compare learning PR techniques to studying card tricks: the trick may be impressive, but it is less mysterious once you understand the mechanics. The same goes for corporate social responsibility: the messaging may be convincing, but it doesn’t always reflect the totality of real-world impacts.
Throughout our time in Dublin, I quickly came to understand just how challenging it is for companies to balance financial goals with responsibilities to people and the planet.
Without a clear, genuine, company-wide mission, sustainability claims feel superficial and out of place. But when a company holds authenticity at the core of its efforts, its actions can have a global impact.
-Ila van Schaik
During our stay in Dublin, we learned about a system called the Deposit Return Scheme. In Ireland, consumers are charged a small fee for purchases of plastic bottles and aluminum cans. You can then get the deposit back once you return the empty container so it can be recycled. I found this to be incredibly fascinating and thought it was a great CSR initiative!
When we took a visit to William Fry we learned about HSBC’s greenwashing campaign where the ads regarding their efforts to reduce harmful emissions and ultimately become net zero was found to be a case of greenwashing. We found out not only were their intentions not genuine, but they also contributed billions of dollars into gas and oil production since 2016.
You think that was bad? HSBC’s global head of responsible investing at the bank’s asset management division, Stuart Kirk, said, “There’s always some nut job telling me about the end of the world.” and “Who cares if Miami is six metres underwater in 100 years? Amsterdam has been six metres underwater for ages and that’s a really nice place.” This just really shows how disconnected some people in charge can be, especially the ones who are supposed to care about these issues.
Convincing a new client to invest in CSR and sustainability can be tough. The baddies who speak in business terms get the job done.
Performative men aren’t the only trend; performative corporate social responsibility (CSR) is too.
As companies in Ireland and beyond grapple with shifting consumer demands, some have taken bold steps toward change, while others cut corners and spread false narratives.
Europe: ♻️ | America: 🤔
As the EU consistently works on improving how they can stay efficient and sustainable, America usually has a much harder time processing environmental change. Nonetheless, one can only hope for something (anything at all) to improve, whether it starts locally or even at home!
Coming from the United States and seeing how well developed Ireland is with their sustainability efforts made me realize how far behind we really are. With recent developments in our politics, it seems we are only going backwards.
