Peter Gustafson – Symbal Communicatons

Peter Gustafson is the founder and one of the owners of Symbal Communications since the start of the company in 2003. Symbal Communications is a communication business mainly focused on digital transformation and CSR helping big companies in their journey toward sustainability. Peter is responsible for transferring knowledge about change communication to employees and customers and working directly with management teams as a strategic supervisor. In his own words: “Internally, these days my main role is to be the guardian of our vision and reason for being – which has always been, change for the better.”

DO CSR VISIONS MEET REALITY?

“At Symbal Communications we often meet clients with clear visions, strategies, and targets – but when you dig deeper and talk to service people or logistic staff, you often realize that they are nowhere near joining the company’s CSR journey. In some cases, not even the top management is on board either. We see this dilemma as the entry point for Symbal.” Peter says. Further on he explains: “It is one thing to understand and look at the insights but when it really comes down to implementations and potentially changing the business strategy – it is a long way to go. Symbal wants to help companies to find their “Why?” and break it down into “Storytelling” in terms of including the whole company. We need to ask ourselves; “How do we make the visions become daily routine?”

“Symbal wants to help companies to find their “Why?” and break it down into “Storytelling” in terms of including the whole company. We need to ask ourselves; How do we make the visions become daily routine?”

ROLE OF CSR IN BRAND GROWTH

To succeed in CSR, the members of an organization need to change their behaviour, and not just form opinions on it. CSR needs to be displayed in everyday actions to be successful. And this is how Symbal Communications views Change Management. “We are not sustainability consultants, we are change communicators and facilitators who work with CSR processes with our clients,” Peter explains.

“When CSR is transformed from a strategic goal to a core value, you have the key to what real CSR is all about. Companies that have pursued this to the point where CSR is now something they just do without even thinking about it, demonstrate true authenticity and responsibility, which comes naturally.”

CUSTOMERS WILL SEE THROUGH FAKE CSR

“My point of view on the role of marketing in CSR is that it should not be too far ahead of the organization. You need to “check the engine” and find what your company stands for. Even if you are passionate about showing benefits and telling stories, does your true company identity match the story or profile you wish to display?” Peter discusses and continues. “If not, your customers will see right through it. It´s great that many organizations want to communicate CSR – but they need to ensure it is real.”

“Even if you are passionate about showing benefits and telling stories, does your true company identity match the story or profile you wish to display?”

THE CHALLENGE OF INTEGRATING CSR INTO THE WHOLE VALUE CHAIN

“From my experience, I have seen that most companies treat CSR transformation as a project when it is not. It is a never-ending story if you incorporate it correctly into your business strategy. Therefore, companies need to keep in mind that CSR is not all about the visible product or service they provide. Looking back at the entire value chain to a point where the offering was just a dream or an innovative idea. It is already at this point when you should start integrating CSR into the work. Establish the thoughts on sourcing, treatment of suppliers, transportation, and so on – it will all accumulate sustainably into the end products – which also makes strong and genuine CSR stories.”

PERCEPTION OF CSR DIFFERS REGIONALLY

“Starting point for CSR is the 17 items or themes set up by the United Nation. But if you look at a global perspective, various regions in the world have different takes on what CSR is. They are at different levels in the Maslov pyramid,” Peter explains. “Western Europe may be more developed on parameters like social responsibility and most of Europe’s CSR work today is about environmental questions – while other regions of the world might have a different take on it. This means that a global organization needs to have a regional or local approach to CSR. In Western Europe, we see that CSR in terms of the social parameter is mostly about taking a broader responsibility beyond your organization towards your surrounding society, and your suppliers.”

„Regions of the world have different takes on what CSR is. Therefore, a global organization needs to have a regional or local approach to CSR.”

“In addition, an organization that has incorporated CSR into its DNA is authentic. It takes responsibility for the world considering the state of our planet, the social environment, and the society so that we and the next generation can live in it. It also pays attention to your behaviour towards partners, suppliers, and customers. In other words, a company like this has defined what CRS means to them based on their prerequisites.”

„Since the ultimate goal is to make CSR part of your day-to-day work – you should integrate CSR to be a natural part of your business. Therefore, you should coherently integrate it into your company and brand visual identity.”