My favorite memory of Harold
Burson
is when we shared a panel at Boston University’s 60th
anniversary
for the School of Communications.
I was honored to be in Harold’s presence for that special event. Prior to that
meeting, he had some knowledge of my work. As I told my story about the need for
companies and brands to become humanized and engage with social issues for
business and societal impact, he became intrigued. We had a brief conversation
after the attendees departed, and he promised to send me an essay he had written
on this subject some 35 years earlier.
That paper arrived within a week, and I have always treasured it, keeping it
among my most valued professional possessions over the years.
It’s called "Social Responsibility or Telescopic Philanthropy: The Choice Is
Ours." The paper started with this amazingly prescient comment:
“My subject pertains to the relationship between public relations and corporate social responsibility. I do not believe there is a relationship between the two. They are not cousins or even siblings. They are even closer than identical twins. They are one and the same.”
In 20 pages, he outlines his vision of the modern public relations executive:
He/she “provide(s) qualitative evaluation of social trends. He helps formulate
policies that will enable the corporation to adapt to these trends. And he
communicates, both internally and externally, the reasons for those policies.
Public relations, I’d like to emphasize, is involved in all the steps, from
analysis through action to communications — a corporation must take to meet its
obligations to the public. And those obligations are numerous and constantly
changing.”
He goes on to say:
“A corporation run by responsible managers will be a responsible corporation. A
corporation run by irresponsible managers will be an irresponsible corporation.”
Other key points in this seminal essay:
“A healthy society is the society that offers its citizens the greatest number of options.”
“The human relations component of public relations cannot be overlooked.”
“Institutions should not forget that they must serve people.”
“Rapid and visual communications have become the overpowering factor in the
time equation. They have generated demands for instant action.” (Fascinating
that this precedes the internet, social media and the rise of social issue
individual and corporate activism by over 20 years!)
“The companies that anticipate [social] change are far less vulnerable to
criticism.”
“An enterprise can no longer make sound economic decisions without taking into account the environmental consequence of is acts.”
He continued to explain the role of the PR man, related to the social
responsibility of the corporation:
-
He is the sensor of change – “He is like a radar man and gives the early
warning.”
-
He must be able to separate enduring social changes from current fads.
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Keeps the attention of his management focused on the problem.
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Fulfills the role of corporate conscience.
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Communicates the social issues internally and externally.
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Internal communication should bring about understanding towards the issues.
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Externally the challenge is to convince the public that the corporation is
being responsive, and substantial in its actions.
-
Continue as the “corporate monitor” to match public expectations.
Ending this amazing essay, Burson wrote that:
“Social accountability is just another management art that corporations are
going to have to learn. In the long run, the corporation which does the best job
of managing its operations will also do the best job of adapting to social
needs.”
In 1973, Harold Burson so deftly summed up the role of the public relations
professional related to the role of a corporation in society: Be the corporate
sensor, the corporate conscience, the corporate communicator and the corporate
monitor.
I was so fortunate to have had this exchange with Harold. He saw the power and
responsibility of a corporation in 1973, which has become the foundation of the
evolution of capitalism today.
Harold, you were a gift to the public relations profession; and inspired
thousands upon thousands of practitioners and the organizations they represented
to truly embrace the powerful and expansive nature of our work, especially
related to social purpose.
Thank you so very, very much, Harold. We all will miss you terribly.
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Carol is internationally recognized for her work in Purpose and CSR. Carol Cone ON PURPOSE is the return to her entrepreneurial roots and life’s passion: to educate, inspire and accelerate purpose programs and impacts for organizations, nonprofits and individuals around the globe.
Published Jan 13, 2020 1pm EST / 10am PST / 6pm GMT / 7pm CET