In this interview with CalvinAyre.com’s Becky Liggero, Jan Jones of Caesars Entertainment Corporation explains how operators can effectively get their corporate social responsibility (CSR) message out to the public.
Corporate social responsibility is a collective effort to achieve a positive impact on society.
It reflects the company’s competitiveness because it requires a careful integration of social, environmental, ethical, human rights and consumer concerns into business operations and core strategy.
Jan Jones of casino operator Caesars Entertainment believes that the success of a company’s CSR depends on the collaborative effort not only between the investors and the state, but also of the employees and the consumers, because employees make decisions based on what they believe the company stands for.
She cited the case of Caesars employees giving back 380,000 volunteer hours in 2016, “not because we made them [do it], but it made them feel that they were a meaningful part of the community.”
“They will choose an employer based on that criteria, way more than what you pay them, what the job is. Also, with your employees, it keeps them engaged. It makes them care,” Jones told CalvinAyre.com.
The second important focus of a CSR is the consumers whose spending attitudes are influenced by the standards of a business, according to Jones.
“Almost 87 percent of consumers when asked will tell you that they make part of their decision on what product to buy, what company to do business with, based on corporate social responsibility standards of those companies,” she explained. “These are people that are going to come and be your customers. So you are messaging to them as well.”
To get their CSR message out to the public, Jones said operators must allot some of their consumer-facing messages in telling their CSR story.
According to Jones, Caesars is the only gaming company that runs responsible gambling ads from its CEO, telling customers, “Look, we want you to come and have a good time. If you have too much to drink, if you are lonely and depressed, if you have trouble setting or keeping a limit, then maybe you should call this number and do something else.”
The other thing that companies must do to achieve a successful CSR is to make it a part of their public relations initiative and fund it, she said.
“Part of the issue is, I believe, with the gaming industry. I’ve watched companies chase licenses around the world and literally spend millions and millions of dollars to acquire those licenses, and maybe, if they paid just a fraction of that, telling legislators, communities, and other stakeholders what they do that makes them a desirable partner, might be a lot easier and a lot less expensive,” Jones said.
