(Read to the end for the big reveal!)
CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility:  when a corporation takes decisive and apparent action to uphold and promote positive social values. In other words, the way in which a company contributes via active fundraising, financial support or in-kind assistance to a charity of its choice. This is a buzz word now, and some corporations do the minimal amount required to “look good” to its shareholders and general public. But there are some corporations that take this much more seriously and incorporate it into its own DNA.
I am thrilled to be able to say that I now have first hand knowledge of one particular global corporation’s commitment to social responsibility — Mindshare. And how is this? Because for the past several months, the people of Mindshare in Singapore have put their considerable time, energy and expertise into creating a media campaign for Writing Through, the educational charity I founded just two years ago, almost to the day.
One of our Writing Through Facilitators ‘pitched’ us to the group, and we were chosen to be their charity of the year. And this meant the creation of a full media campaign complete with a video, a hashtag, a wide and varied media strategy, everything. It’s been a wonder to watch them in action, and it’s been great fun to be a part of the development of it all.
The campaign, which went live throughout Singapore this week, is called #HearMeOut. In Singapore, it is on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Clear Channel, and various mobile phone networks. And now we can spread it around the world, too. Together with our new documentary and a multi-page article in Expat Living Singapore, it becomes a vital part of our summer of awareness. And I think it’s utterly brilliant. Thank you, Mindshare!