CSR Superstar
Image by Lindsey Bennett
Corporate Social Responsibility
09.11.2008
Clooney’s rise in Hollywood corresponds with another upward trajectory – that of corporate social responsibility. This is not mere coincidence. To this pop culture observer, it’s a function of the zeitgeist. And Clooney’s success ought to be not only inspirational but instructional.
That’s right – you, Mr. or Ms. Executive, are about to get a crash course from Danny Ocean himself.
Clooney’s status in Hollywood is not the result of the usual hit after hit after hit. His “E.R.” chits disappeared after the fizzle of “Batman & Robin,” and most of his recent films have not been blockbusters. Yet, Time recently anointed him “The Last Movie Star.”
Clooney’s clout derives from his willingness to stand up for things he believes in and turn that passion into solid, often exceptional product. While Paris and dozens of others grab for gold and glory, Clooney’s up to something bigger: he wants to use business (movies like “Syriana” and “Good Night, and Good Luck”) to make the world a better place.
But, and this is key, he isn’t all Marlon Brando-circa-the-early-‘70s about it. He doesn’t shake his finger in your face, or set himself up as a shaman. Clooney is a modest maverick, a no-bull candidate for canonization – or at least as modest as one can be in the capital of conspicuous consumption.
That’s what’s made him the singular success he is, and that’s where the lesson lies. We’ve embraced Clooney because he represents the ideals many of us wanted to live out after 9/11. In the classic Hollywood tradition, he provides a vicarious experience. Even better, he points out ways to go from vicarious to real (getting involved, for example, in lobbying for relief to Darfur, or demanding more vigilance from the press).
At the same time, our culture has embraced corporate social responsibility. Call it philanthropy. Call it sustainability. We are – many of us in the corporate world – trying to use business to make the world better.
There are lots of Clooney-esque examples of companies doing this in a modest, no-bull kind of way. Cherokee Investment Partners comes to mind, with its commitment to sustainable real estate developments and the revitalization of New Orleans. Recently, I saw Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis discuss CSR-related initiatives with a winning, Clooney-like mix of dedication and realism.
Burt’s Bees is a luminous example of the point Clooney has proven out – that substance sells. Burt’s was sustainable and responsible long before most of us, and last year Clorox paid a hefty price to acquire the company’s good name and strong products. Meanwhile, The Body Shop has grown into one of the largest cosmetic franchises in the world, all the while decrying animal testing and promoting fair trade.
I’m particularly fond of Wal-Mart’s story. Like the Clooney of “Batman & Robin,” the company didn’t seem destined for a spot on the walk of fame. And it surely has some personnel and p.r. issues to deal with. But Wal-Mart’s commitment to a more energy efficient transportation fleet and its flinty knack for pressuring product suppliers to adopt sustainable practices makes it a real (if imperfect) player.
There will always be organizations that are more in the Paris mode – shamelessly gunning for what’s good and shiny for them. Fine. No law against it. But we’re in a different era now. An era that embraces people and the planet as well as profits. If a guy who played a third banana in “The Facts of Life” can do it, so can we all.
