CSR and Brand Reputation

𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐇𝐈𝐏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 Another leadership masterclass from Manchester City Football Club's head coach, Pep Guardiola, on giving credit to the players: "𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑦𝑒𝑑 The Premier League 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑜𝑛. 𝐴𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 '𝑃𝑒𝑝 𝑇𝑒𝑎𝑚.' 𝑃𝑒𝑝, ℎ𝑜𝑤 ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠. 𝑅𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡, 𝑙𝑒𝑓𝑡, 𝑟𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡. 𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒, 𝑜𝑢𝑡𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒, 𝑙𝑎𝑦 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑐ℎ. 𝑂ℎ, ℎ𝑜𝑤 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝑑 ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠. 𝑃𝑒𝑝 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑜𝑝. 𝑁𝑜, 𝑛𝑜, 𝑛𝑜. 𝐴𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒, 𝐼'𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑖𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔. 𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑂𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠𝑒, 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑤𝑒 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑎, 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑟. 𝑁𝑜, 𝑔𝑢𝑦𝑠, 𝑖𝑡'𝑠 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢. 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑜𝑡𝑏𝑎𝑙𝑙 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑦𝑜𝑢." The extent to which leaders give or claim credit influences a variety of psychosocial constructs and behaviours: 4️⃣ 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀' 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 1️⃣Builds trust (Zak et al., 2017) 2️⃣Promotes well-being (Hendriks et al., 2020) 3️⃣ Builds stronger relationships (Grant et al., 2009) 4️⃣ Enhances Performance (Dutton & Ashford, 1993) 5️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 Credit claiming occurs when an individual appropriates other people's contributions and exaggerates his or her role to impress people higher up within an organisation (Ellis et al., 2002). This can cause: 1️⃣ Anger (Chen et al., 2022) 2️⃣ Feelings of unfairness (Chen et al., 2022) 3️⃣ Decreased work engagement (Liao & Chang, 2004) 4️⃣ Decreased motivation (Arazy & Gellatly, 2012) 5️⃣ Negative attitudes towards work (Cropanzano et al., 2017) I am sure we have all experienced working with leaders who give or claim credit and how this made us feel. I know I have, and I remember feeling frustrated and angry towards an individual who regularly claimed credit for my hard work. As a coach or leader, it's important to be a credit 'giver' rather than a 'claimer.'

Sustainability officers are an increasingly endangered species. Last week, I spoke with a group of sustainability officers navigating a corporate landscape where terms like CSR, ESG, and climate change have become dirty words, or at least politically charged. Many companies are pulling back from public commitments on sustainability—not necessarily because the urgency has diminished, but because the risk of backlash has grown. In this environment, nature and biodiversity are emerging as safer entry points for corporate sustainability efforts. While climate change is often framed as a divisive issue, nature remains more broadly accepted across political & ideological lines. 👉 Why nature can be a less controversial framing Many companies are using nature as a strategic way to maintain environmental commitments while avoiding political entanglements. Here’s why: 🌳 Universality & positive connotations – Nature is widely seen as something to be cherished, regardless of political views. Protecting forests, oceans, and wildlife can carry fewer ideological conflicts than decarbonization mandates or carbon pricing. 🤝 Reduced partisanship – Climate discussions frequently spark debates over regulations, economic costs, and industry impact. In contrast, nature-based initiatives—such as habitat restoration, conservation, and biodiversity projects—are less likely to be viewed as partisan issues. 🌱 Tangible local impact – Nature-focused projects have visible, immediate benefits: cleaner air & water, restored landscapes, and healthier ecosystems. These local, concrete outcomes resonate more than global climate targets, which can feel abstract or distant. ⛈️ Strategic communication – By framing sustainability efforts around nature, companies can continue advancing environmental goals—like emissions reduction—without explicitly linking them to politically charged climate policies. 👉 The resilience narrative: An even broader framework For some companies, even protecting nature is seen as too controversial. That’s where another concept is gaining traction: resilience. One sustainability officer shared how their company avoids even the word "nature" in favor of resilience-focused language: ✅ Resilient supply chains that withstand environmental & geopolitical disruptions ✅ Resilient infrastructure that adapts to extreme weather & resource scarcity ✅ Resilient business models that reduce risk & increase long-term stability By focusing on resilience, companies can integrate sustainability into their strategy without triggering resistance—not as an ideological stance, but as a smart business decision. As the political landscape shifts, sustainability officers are finding new ways to keep moving forward. Whether through nature-based solutions or resilience framing, the goal remains the same: building a future where businesses & ecosystems can thrive together. If you're in this space, how are you navigating the current climate? 📷 Olympic Peninsula by me.

Cheat Sheet: Greenwashing Risks 🌎 Greenwashing undermines trust, distorts market signals, and delays necessary environmental and social progress. As scrutiny of sustainability claims intensifies, distinguishing between credible action and misleading narratives is critical. This framework outlines key typologies of greenwashing—such as greenlighting, greenhushing, and greenshifting—each reflecting different ways organizations may obscure material impacts or mislead through selective disclosure. The risk often arises when communications advance faster than actual performance or lack methodological transparency. This disconnect can lead to reputational, legal, or financial exposure. Ten practices are proposed to reduce this risk, including measurable targets, third-party validation, adherence to international frameworks, and transparent disclosure of trade-offs. These mechanisms help ensure that sustainability claims are grounded in performance, not perception. Eight domains are identified to assess exposure to greenwashing. These include areas such as strategic integration, goal architecture, narrative integrity, and accountability mechanisms—each offering a specific lens to evaluate alignment between ambition and execution. For example, assessing whether targets are tied to operational performance, whether certifications are consistently applied, and whether internal controls and grievance mechanisms are in place strengthens the overall credibility of ESG initiatives. This structure provides a technical basis to evaluate sustainability disclosures and performance beyond surface-level commitments, supporting more robust assessments by investors, stakeholders, and regulators. As expectations rise, coherence between governance, reporting, and action is essential for credibility and long-term value creation. #sustainability #sustainable #business #esg #greenwashing

I used to think PR and internal comms were worlds apart. I was wrong. My career started in external PR. Later, I moved into global communications and added internal comms to my scope. At first, I believed they were completely different worlds. The reality? They overlap at every level: - Both are about storytelling and reputation. - Both can strengthen or weaken trust. - What’s said internally goes external. And vice versa. The real difference is the audience. With employees, the bar is much higher: they see behind the curtain. If the story doesn’t match their reality, they won’t buy it. One lesson that stayed with me: if your employees don’t believe the story, no one else will.

Turning around a property with a bad reputation isn’t for the faint of heart. You need thick skin, clear vision, and zero ego. You’ll face angry residents, skeptical prospects, burned-out staff, and years of “fix it later” decisions. And still you show up. Every day. Here’s what it really takes to rebuild trust and reputation: • You tell the truth. Sugarcoating won’t fix it. Residents and teams need to hear, “Yes, it’s broken and here’s what we’re doing to change it.” • You do the basics brilliantly. Answer the phones. Return messages. Follow up on work orders. Be visible. Consistency becomes your credibility. • You over-communicate. Updates. Timelines. Wins. Delays. People forgive problems when they feel informed and respected. • You clean house if you have to. One toxic employee can undo every ounce of progress. Protect your culture like it’s your NOI because it is. • You don’t expect instant forgiveness. Reputation is earned in inches, not PR campaigns. Turning around a property is gritty, emotional, unglamorous work. But when it clicks when the phone rings again, when residents start to believe, when the team lifts their heads it’s magic. The secret? It’s not strategy. It’s consistency. What’s your go-to move when rebuilding a community’s reputation? #PropertyManagement #TurnaroundLeadership #ReputationRecovery #MultifamilyOperations #CultureOverChaos #OperationalExcellence #LeadershipInTheTrenches #ResidentExperience #TeamVisibility

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about this 👇🏼 Dora Vanourek’s quote needs to be considered! Building trust, creating a culture of openness and leading by example. For me, leading a startup, this has been crucial. The challenges, uncertainties and constant changes make one thing clear… That pretending to have it all under control is a losing game! Here’s why being open and showing vulnerability matters more than you think: 1. It builds trust When you’re honest about challenges, your team sees you as real, not just a title. Trust is built on authenticity. 2. It creates a culture of openness When leaders are transparent, employees feel safe to share concerns, ideas and even failures leading to better decisions and growth. 3. It supports resilience Startups (and businesses in general) are unpredictable. Acknowledging struggles brings teams together rather than isolating them. 4. It makes leadership human People don’t connect with perfection. They connect with leaders who are real, take responsibility and grow alongside their teams. Great leadership isn’t about appearing invincible - it’s about being real. P.S. How do you approach vulnerability in leadership? ♻️ If you think this post could help someone in your network, hit repost. 👋🏼 Hey, I’m Laura Morgan- I share posts that empower busy people to build healthier, happier workplaces and teams. Hit ‘follow’ to keep updated.

When in Doubt, Just Delete It? Corporate Climate Silence is Getting Louder 🌍🚨 According to a recent Financial Times investigation by Attracta Mooney and Susannah Savage, major U.S. corporations are quietly erasing climate commitments from public view. The report reveals that companies like Walmart, KraftHeinz, Meta, Ford Motor Company, and American Airlines have scrubbed or softened references to climate change from their websites. In some cases, bold pledges—like cutting emissions by 50% by 2030—have disappeared entirely. This isn’t happening in a vacuum. With political attacks on environmental policies intensifying, many companies are opting for "greenhushing"—downplaying or omitting sustainability efforts to avoid controversy. But of course, this makes perfect sense. After all, the election of Donald Trump has fundamentally altered the science of climate change and carbon emissions, right? Surely, CO₂ molecules now behave differently depending on who occupies the White House. 🤔🌱💨 (Okay, sarcasm over.) Here’s the real issue: erasing climate commitments doesn’t erase climate risks. 🔹 Investors are watching. The push for transparency in ESG reporting isn’t just about optics—it’s about long-term financial stability. Weakening climate targets today could mean increased regulatory scrutiny, shareholder activism, or even capital flight tomorrow. 🔹 Customers care. Greenwashing is bad. But greenhushing? It sends the message that a company’s commitment to sustainability is only as strong as the political winds allow. That’s a fast way to lose trust. 🔹 Employees are paying attention. Younger talent, in particular, prioritises sustainability. A quiet retreat on climate commitments could hurt not just a company’s brand, but also its ability to attract and retain top talent. Beyond the immediate reputational risks, this entire approach is staggeringly shortsighted. Climate change isn’t a PR issue—it’s a physical reality that will disrupt supply chains, displace populations, and drive economic instability. Pretending otherwise doesn’t change the science, it only delays the inevitable reckoning. And at its core, this is deeply disappointing. Corporate leadership isn’t just retreating from climate action; it’s demonstrating a complete moral failure. If a company’s sustainability strategy evaporates the moment political pressure rises, was it ever real in the first place? 🌎💔 What do you think? Are we entering an era where businesses retreat on sustainability—not just in words, but in actions too? 🔗 Full article here: https://lnkd.in/egngPgqw #ClimateRisk #ESG #CorporateResponsibility #Greenhushing #Sustainability

As AI applications become more ingrained in our daily operations, implementing robust guardrails isn't just good practice—it's essential for responsible deployment. Why do guardrails matter? • They filter harmful inputs (PII, jailbreak attempts) • They block risky outputs (hallucinations, profanity) • They ensure compliance with regulations • They maintain brand safety and user trust Without proper guardrails, AI systems risk unpredictable behavior, policy violations, and diminished user confidence. But with strategic implementation, you can achieve consistent, controlled responses that build trust through safe and accurate outputs.

In which of these 2 scenarios, will a sales rep sell more blenders? a) She nails the demo, flawlessly blending a smoothie in front of potential customers b) Same exact pitch, but when she pours the smoothie, she spills it all over the table Dr. Richard Wiseman conducted this exact study. More people bought the blender when she made an absolute mess. This phenomenon is called the "other shoe effect." The underlying principle: We instinctively know people aren’t perfect. So when someone appears too polished in high-stakes moments—job interviews, pitches, first dates—part of our brain asks: “What are they hiding? When does the other shoe drop?” The longer someone appears flawless, the more suspicious we get. This creates a dangerous cycle: • You try to appear perfect in the first impression • The other person's brain gets increasingly distracted wondering about your hidden flaws • When your imperfection finally shows (and it will), it hits much harder than if you'd acknowledged it upfront I learned this the hard way. When I first wrote Captivate, I tried to sound like an academic. My editor called it out: “This doesn’t sound like you.” So I rewrote the intro to be me, very me in a vulnerable way: “Hi, I’m Vanessa. I’m a recovering awkward person.” That vulnerability built instant trust. By dropping my shoe early, I built trust immediately and let readers know they were in good company. This is also how I introduce myself in conversations, and I have noticed everyone laughs and relaxes when I say it. There are a couple situations where you can actively use this effect: • Job interviews: After sharing your strengths, say "One area I’m still growing in is public speaking—which is why this role excites me." • Investor pitches: After a strong open, confess: "One challenge we’re still working through is [X], and here’s how we’re tackling it." • Team meetings: Proactively raise project risks, then offer a solution. Don’t let others discover it first. Rules to remember: • Choose authentic vulnerabilities, not fake ones • Drop your shoe AFTER establishing competence, not before • Pair vulnerability with accountability - show how you're addressing it Remember: The goal isn't to appear perfect. It's to appear trustworthy. And trustworthy people acknowledge their imperfections before others have to discover them.

Changing ingrained behaviors and habits is hard. Changing your reputation after you’ve made those changes is even harder. People are still walking around with the old version of you in their heads, and frankly, they’re not paying close enough attention to notice you’ve leveled up. You’ve done the internal work and broken the patterns but your colleagues are still expecting the person who used to scramble at deadlines or avoid difficult conversations or whatever your old thing was. Your reputation is basically everyone else’s highlight (lowlight?) reel of your past mistakes and quirks, and they’re not exactly rushing to update their mental files. The tricky part is that you can’t just announce “Hey everyone, I’m different now!” and expect people to believe you. They need to see it, experience it, and have enough new data points that they can’t ignore the shift. Most of us get frustrated because we expect our transformed habits to immediately translate into different treatment and opportunities. But reputation change is slow, then fast. You need to stack enough evidence that people have no choice but to update their assumptions about who you are. Here are five ways to speed up the process without feeling like you’re bragging about your personal growth journey: 1. Tell specific stories, not vague transformation tales. Instead of saying “I’ve gotten better at time management,” share the story about how you restructured that chaotic project timeline and actually delivered early. Give people concrete evidence they can remember. 2. Go where nobody knows your old reputation. Volunteer for a cross-departmental initiative or join the committee where people haven’t witnessed your previous patterns. These become your reputation reset opportunities where you can show up as your new self from day one. 3. Have the awkward conversation with key people. Seriously, just tell your boss or closest collaborators that you’ve been working on specific changes and ask them to call you out if they see old patterns creeping back in. Yes, it’s vulnerable but it fast-tracks their awareness of your evolution. 4. Ask for feedback like early and often. Check in regularly with people whose opinions matter and ask what they’re noticing about how you’re showing up differently. This keeps your transformation visible and gives you intel on where the old reputation might still be sticking. 5. Play the long game without losing momentum. Your new habits need time to become your new reputation, just like it took time for your old reputation to solidify. Keep being consistent because eventually, the new pattern becomes so obvious that people forget you were ever any other way. #coaching #leadership #feedback