Businesses are now rethinking how they can make a real difference to society and the world around them.

What is the ultimate purpose of a business? Some might say it is to maximise returns for shareholders and investors; others may see it as delivering excellent customer service through its products or services.

However, there are those who feel that businesses can also play a central role in ensuring our society lives within the planet’s means. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) or sustainability is a wide-ranging agenda that is core to many major public and private businesses and organisations. Companies such as these take steps to minimise any negative societal, ethical and environmental impacts their business may have – while also maximising the positive.

It’s all about understanding where your business impacts are and how you can help to deal with sustainability challenges Hans Daems, head of public affairs, Hitachi Europe

Many organisations take this idea very seriously, and now realise that collaboration is a crucial step towards achieving it. Several businesses are looking to the United Nation’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) – which address key global challenges such as poverty and climate change – to inform their strategic agendas. But, these SDGs can only be achieved if all sectors work together; furthermore, cooperating with government and other enterprises will make businesses more able to engage with society – and their stakeholders.

Taking action

“We have to meet the SDGs because it makes sense for society and our business,” says Hans Daems, head of public affairs at the European headquarters of Hitachi, one global business that really takes this agenda to heart. Mr Daems and his peers argue that corporations can address the pressing needs highlighted by the SDGs without compromising their ability to deliver innovative business solutions. In fact, they believe that innovation should play a key part.

“It’s all about understanding where your business impacts are, and how you can help to deal with sustainability challenges,” says Mr Daems. “It is the role of business to lead the way – to work with governments and others to deliver beneficial impacts for all.”

Mr Daems is also the current chair of CSR Europe, a network that is uniquely placed to help companies work together on these challenges. Comprising 50 corporate members, it represents some 11,000 businesses across the continent through its partnerships with national CSR organisations.

We can make a difference, using Social Innovation to help meet societal, ethical and environmental goals Hans Daems, head of public affairs, Hitachi Europe

CSR Europe runs a number of initiatives to encourage partnerships between members. One such project is the SDG Incubator, which supports member organisations to develop or “co-create” projects in line with the United Nation’s global targets. The programme sees projects through from proposal to completion, with a real focus on collaboration.

As chair of CSR Europe, it is only fitting that Mr Daems is overseeing these kinds of partnerships closer to home at Hitachi, across numerous sectors including energy, transport and healthcare. “We can make a difference,” he says, “using Social Innovation and co-creation with our stakeholders to help meet our societal, ethical and environmental goals.”

Innovations for the future

Modern life is saturated with data and technologies are emerging nearly every day – but how can we use these innovations to make a real difference to the world?

Hitachi believes that Social Innovation should underpin everything it does, so it can find ways to tackle the biggest issues we face today.

Visit social-innovation.hitachi to learn how Social Innovation is helping Hitachi drive change across the globe