Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Strategy and Programme Management – Dubai, 26 Apr – 7 May 2027

Programme overview

Introduction:

Many organisations spend significant budgets on donations, sponsorships and community projects without a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy that links them to material issues, stakeholder expectations or business objectives. The result is scattered activity, weak governance and little evidence of impact. Delivered by Core Concept, this two-week course builds the full CSR management system: applying the ISO 26000 guidance, aligning programmes with the UN Global Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals, designing a community investment portfolio, governing it and measuring its social impact. Participants leave with a CSR Strategy and Programme Portfolio Plan for their own organisation.

Course Objectives:

• Assess the organisation's CSR maturity and build a business case that links social responsibility to corporate strategy.
• Apply the ISO 26000 principles and core subjects, the UN Global Compact principles and the Sustainable Development Goals to set CSR priorities.
• Design a CSR strategy, policy and community investment portfolio based on materiality and stakeholder analysis.
• Establish CSR governance, roles, risk controls and quality assurance for programmes, partnerships and donations.
• Plan stakeholder engagement, internal embedding and CSR communication that stays consistent with evidence.
• Measure social impact with theory of change, outcome indicators and SROI, and use the results to optimise the programme portfolio.

Target Audience:

• Managers who lead the CSR, social responsibility or community investment function
• Sustainability and corporate affairs managers who shape the organisation's social commitments
• Programme managers who run community, education, health or volunteering initiatives funded by the organisation
• Corporate communications and stakeholder relations managers who report on social contribution
• Strategy and planning managers who allocate budgets and track performance of social programmes
• Foundation and grant managers who oversee corporate giving and non-profit partnerships

Course Outline:

Day 1: CSR Foundations and the Strategic Business Case

• CSR Maturity Stages from Philanthropy to Strategic Value Creation
• Business and Social Value Creation Logic for CSR Decisions
• CSR, ESG and Sustainability Terminology Mapping Matrix
• Internal and External Drivers Analysis for CSR Strategy
• Baseline CSR Maturity Self-Assessment Diagnostic

Day 2: ISO 26000, the UN Global Compact and the SDGs

• ISO 26000 Seven Principles of Social Responsibility
• ISO 26000 Seven Core Subjects and Issue Relevance Review
• UN Global Compact Ten Principles Alignment Check
• Sustainable Development Goals Prioritisation Matrix
• Framework Crosswalk Linking ISO 26000, the Global Compact and the SDGs

Day 3: Materiality, Stakeholders and CSR Strategy Design

• Stakeholder Identification and Salience Mapping
• Materiality Assessment for Social Responsibility Priorities
• CSR Vision, Focus Areas and Strategic Pillars Design
• CSR Policy Drafting and Commitment Statements
• CSR Strategy Map Linking Focus Areas to Business Objectives

Day 4: Community Investment Portfolio and Programme Design Tools

• Community Needs Assessment Methods and Data Sources
• Theory of Change Construction for CSR Programmes
• Logic Model and Programme Design Template
• CSR Budgeting and Resource Allocation Model
• CSR Programme Tracking System and Data Requirements

Day 5: Week-One Integration: Guided CSR Strategy Case Study

• Case Study: CSR Strategy Reset in a Manufacturing Group
• Case Study: Community Investment Portfolio in a Financial Services Firm
• Case Study: Stakeholder Expectation Conflict at an Energy Facility
• Peer Review of Draft Materiality Matrix and Strategy Map
• Draft CSR Strategy Outline Consolidation

Day 6: Partnerships, Volunteering and Shared Value Programmes

• Non-Profit Partner Due Diligence and Selection Criteria
• CSR Partnership Agreements and Memoranda of Understanding
• Employee Volunteering Programme Design and Policy
• Shared Value Initiatives Linking Core Business and Social Needs
• Supplier Codes of Conduct and Supply Chain Social Expectations

Day 7: CSR Governance, Risk and Programme Quality

• CSR Governance Structures: Board Committee, Steering Group and CSR Function
• CSR Roles and Responsibilities RACI Matrix
• Human Rights and Social Risk Screening for CSR Programmes
• Grant Management Controls and Anti-Corruption Safeguards for Donations
• CSR Programme Quality Assurance and Internal Audit Checklist

Day 8: Stakeholder Engagement, Embedding and CSR Communication

• Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Dialogue Methods
• Community Grievance and Feedback Mechanisms
• Change Management for Embedding CSR in Corporate Culture
• CSR Communication Plan and Claims Substantiation
• CSR Champions Networks and Internal Engagement Campaigns

Day 9: Social Impact Measurement, KPIs and Portfolio Optimisation

• Output, Outcome and Impact Indicator Design
• Social Return on Investment (SROI) Principles and Calculation Steps
• CSR Key Performance Indicator Dashboard Design
• Benchmarking CSR Performance Against Peer Practice
• Portfolio Optimisation and Continuous Improvement Review Cycle

Day 10: Capstone: CSR Strategy and Programme Portfolio Plan

• Capstone Brief: Organisational Context and Material Issues Summary
• Multi-Year CSR Programme Portfolio Build
• Governance, Budget and Measurement Plan Assembly
• Capstone Presentation to a Simulated Executive Committee
• Implementation Roadmap Finalisation After Peer and Facilitator Feedback

Skills You Will Gain:

• CSR Maturity Assessment
• ISO 26000 Core Subject Analysis
• Social Materiality Assessment
• Community Investment Portfolio Design
• Non-Profit Partnership Management
• CSR Governance Design
• Theory of Change and SROI Analysis
• CSR Stakeholder Engagement Planning

Why Attend This Course:

• Turn scattered donations and sponsorships into a focused portfolio that decision makers can defend.
• Gain a second week of depth on partnerships, governance, embedding and impact measurement that shorter courses leave out.
• Work through cases from manufacturing, financial services and energy, and test your own plans against peers from other sectors.
• Return with a CSR Strategy and Programme Portfolio Plan built for your organisation and ready for executive review.

Conclusion:

Corporate social responsibility creates value only when it is managed with the same discipline as any other strategic function. Across two weeks, participants move from principles and frameworks to strategy design, portfolio building, governance, stakeholder engagement and impact measurement, then apply everything in a capstone. The outcome is a practical plan that connects social commitments to material issues, allocates resources with clear accountability, and shows evidence of results to leadership, partners and communities.