Thursday, May 24, 2018

Blog 2 - CUSO-Randstad Partnership - Megan Beierle



CUSO International (CUSO)’s Corporate Partners website proudly advertises that they are partnered with Randstad, using monetary and volunteer donations to pursue its mission. Randstad chose to partner with CUSO “to match their business principles with their social principles,” displaying a deeply rooted commitment that the corporation has to the development of the global community. As a provider of HR services around the globe, its human touch is something that sets them apart from competitors, and perhaps what makes them the ideal partners for a service-centric charity like CUSO.

Randstad’s CSR website highlights the foundation it started 10 years ago, the Randstad Canada Charitable Foundation, to help its business share monetary donations while employees share their time and skills to help advance entities that need their support. Listed at the top of that website is a short description of the Randstad-CUSO partnership.


Is this relationship truly mutually beneficial?
Randstad sees this partnership with CUSO as mutually beneficial, as working with CUSO allows the corporation to fulfil its CSR requirements and truly see its mission and values at work. The benefit for CUSO results from increased international awareness and Randstad strongly values its partnership with CUSO as it allows the corporation to fulfil its desire to address poverty around the world. Randstad already has over 50 programs in progress now, all of which support the partnership.

How is the benefit balanced?
At first glance of Randstad’s CSR web page, the partnership seems to benefit CUSO more than it benefits Randstad. The language used and the lack of a fulsome description of what the two collaborate in favour or pursuit of does not truly do justice to the partnership’s depth. To realize the full meaning, Randstad website visitors must look beyond the initial CSR page to the Investor Relations page.

While no links drive viewers to CUSO’s website or a specific page about the partnership on either party’s website, the CUSO partnership is the first one mentioned on Randstad’s CSR page. Moreover, the entire Investor Relations sustainability page is dedicated entirely to the partnership. The only limitation to this web page is the lack of advertisement that it exists. The time and resources dedicated to creating this functional page along with the featured video is proof that Randstad perceives a mutual benefit.

The Investor Relations page features a video that specifically discusses the benefit that both Randstad and CUSO enjoy from this partnership. The video notes the top two benefits as sharing professional expertise and forming a deeper appreciation for giving back.

What is Randstad trying to accomplish?
Randstad hopes to instill an understanding of poverty in its employees, and to help them realize what life is like outside of the western world. Randstad’s Investor Relations Sustainability web page shows a video of the true impact the partnership bestows on both parties; Randstad employees and volunteers that commit time to CUSO (referred to as VSO on this web page) gain new skills that help them function in a globalizing world, while CUSO enjoys the results of employing and engaging high-quality, skilled volunteers who share a passion for development.

Randstad is also trying to instill an understanding in its workforce - and challenge the status quo - that the best thing a corporation can do for society is not necessarily spreading its wealth through donations, but sharing expertise and passion with the world.


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