In research conducted for my PhD on CSR, I identified four types of Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (CSR) Change Agents: Experts, Facilitators, Catalysts and Activists.
Each type represents a constellation of attributes. It is expected that any individual CSR change agent will embody elements of all of these types, but that the relative influence of each type will differ per individual. Hence, the dominant type can be thought of as a centre of gravity for each CSR change agent’s work, i.e. the mode of operating in which they feel most comfortable, fulfilled or satisfied.
| Expert | Facilitator | Catalyst | Activist | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level of change | Individual | Group | Organisation | Society |
| Key focus | Tasks | People | Direction | Grassroots |
| Source of life satisfaction | Specialist input | People empowerment | Strategic input | Societal contribution |
| Source of work satisfaction | Personal development, quality input | Staff development, effective facilitation | Organisational development, strategic change | Community development, social change |
| Typical skills | Technical | Interpersonal | Political | Questioning |
| Legacy they wish to leave | More effective CSR management systems | More inspired & empowered CSR champions | More sustainable & responsible organisation | More just & sustainable world |
Illustrative quotes
Expert
I usually get that sense of meaning in work when I’ve finished a product, say like an Environmental Report and you see, ‘I’ve really put in a lot and here it is’. Or you have had a series of community consultations and you now have the results.
Facilitator
If you enjoy working with people, this is a sort of functional role that you have direct interaction, you can see people being empowered, having increased knowledge, and you can see what that eventually leads to. I think that creates a great deal of sense of purpose.
Catalyst
I like getting things changed. My time is spent trying to influence people. The real interesting thing is to try and get Managing Directors, try and get plant managers, try and get business leaders, try and get sales guys to think differently and to change what they do.
Activist
It’s also about the issue of being poor. It actually touches you. You see these people have been living in appalling conditions, the shacks, the drinking water is so dirty, or there’s no running water at all, you see those kind of things, it hits you, and you kind of think: What can you do?
A few final important points: Not every CSR manager is a CSR change agent. And not every CSR change agent is a particular type forever. The model is dynamic – our “centre of gravity” as change agents can shift over our life and careers. Finally, the ideal in an organisation is to have a balance of CSR Change Agent types.
