The Characterization of Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

This paper explores the current and needed identities and competencies of a small but growing environmental nonprofit organization, the South Louisiana Wetlands Discovery Center. The current board is neither designed nor staffed to allow the organization to grow, obtain organizational legitimacy, or embed itself into the community. Two surveys and eight in-depth interviews were conducted to better understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the current board, as well as to develop a full profile of an optimized board. Results indicate the need to better recruit board members with specific identities and skills that help the organization minimize its dependencies and increase its possibilities for synergistic, collaborative work with a diverse and inclusive network of individuals and organizations.