The most interesting session at the 2010 Net Impact Conference for me personally was a ‘Featured Session’ called ‘CSR Solutions: Leveraging Mainstream Experience for Maximum Impact’. The panellists were experts in supply chain, marketing and strategy for Coca Cola, S.C. Johnson and Avon, respectively. The panel was moderated by Tim Mohin, Director of Corporate Responsibility for AMD.
Each of these professionals came to his current role in CSR by way of functional roles within their firms, and the session was designed to address the gap between the relatively small number of CSR-specific roles – even within the largest global companies – and the growing number of MBAs interested in pursuing careers in CSR. Each speaker encouraged students to take a functional approach, and emphasized the importance of cross-functional experience. They also highlighted key qualities of successful CSR managers, including diplomacy and communication skills.
I found their comments to be very helpful in developing ideas for my post-grad job search. Each parnelist had a unique career path, but their advice followed along the same lines: Pursue a functional role (marketing, strategy, supply chain, etc.) and find a way to make a difference in your area of specialization. Eventually, you may find a route to a role within your firm’s CSR department.
