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How To Start Your Career In Corporate Social Responsibility

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Lisa Hancock

As Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Viacom’s BET Networks, Nneka Norville has the kind of job many people dream of.  Every day she works to make a difference while building BET’s brand.  It’s a job that involves strategy, creativity, interpersonal skills and generosity. I spoke to Nneka to learn how people can model their careers on hers.

Jessica Pliska: Let’s start at the beginning. What is corporate social responsibility?

Nneka Norville: Our employees and our audiences want us to be active members of our communities. It is my job to make those connections happen. I engage our consumers and our employees in initiatives that both create a better world and strengthen our core business.

At BET we leverage our brand equity for social good in a couple of ways.  We’ve been deliberate about creating strategic partnerships with non-profit organizations, government agencies and private sector partners to help amplify pro-social efforts.  We also provide charitable contributions as well as engage our employees through volunteer programs. It’s also important that we support all of the network’s on-air and digital series when pro-social themes arise, by advising on messaging, creating content, providing resources and building partnerships.

Pliska: What does BET corporate responsibility focus on?

Norville: That’s a good question. Part of the challenge for any company is balancing their community investment strategy with overall business goals.

We’ve been very deliberate in creating targeted programs within our four focus areas- education, civic engagement, health disparities and workforce readiness. Our efforts aim to empower our audience to be engaged, healthy and informed citizens.  Increasing knowledge and awareness around STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) careers are critical as well as providing mentorship, guidance and education for the next generation of creative minds. At Viacom we put our audience first, and part of that is helping to position them for long-term success. We also find innovative ways to engage our employees around these issues through volunteer opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Pliska: Your Get Schooled partnership attracted lots of attention. Can you explain it?

Norville: We partnered with The Get Schooled Foundation to launch a Snapchat college tour. (Get Schooled is an organization that empowers young people to get the education they need to succeed.) Hundreds of thousands of students have virtually visited college campuses, met students and explored academic and extracurricular offerings. It all happens via a student-friendly Snapchat that is supported on BET and Get Schooled’s platforms. Watch this video to learn more.

Campaigns like this are the future of corporate social responsibility. Digital communications have proven their impact. Remember the Ice Bucket Challenge which raised $115 million for ALS research? Everyone is interested in exploring innovative ways to leverage the digital and social media world for social good.

Pliska: What is the ideal background for a career in this area?

Norville: If you talk to 10 people about how they got into CSR, you’ll hear 10 different stories. I started off as a publicist, then got a law degree and practiced law for a time. But I found my passion in volunteering, which exposed me to the social impact world. I worked in nonprofits and foundations, and through it all I built a strong network and deep relationships. One of those eventually led me to BET.

All of the skills I’ve picked up along  my career path have been helpful in my current role. As a publicist I focused on writing and relationship building with clients and media outlets. In law school I honed research and presentation skills. Over time I have developed skills in marketing and digital strategy, and I use them all in this job.

Pliska: What advice do you have for somebody who wants to break into this field?

Norville: I tell people to start with these four steps:

First, do your research. It is important to know which industry you want to work in and to be able to explain why. Corporate social responsibility at a media company like Viacom is different than it would be in the financial services industry. While the core skill set is the same, the company priorities and strategies will differ. Look into the CSR initiatives at different companies and industries to assess the landscape and be strategic with your goals.

Second, start thinking about the future of corporate social responsibility. What trends are people forecasting for the evolution of the field? People want their new hires to be passionate about this work and constantly looking towards innovation.

Third, attend the major conferences and events where you can start to build relationships in the field. And bring your full self to those events; your personal story will make you memorable which leads to deeper connections.

Fourth, set up informational interviews to start personal relationships with people already in the field.  That is the best way to build your network and it is much more effective to have a network in place than to cold call when you want to apply for a specific job.

Pliska: What is the hardest part of your job?

Norville: I’ve had to learn the art of saying “no”. It is something that takes practice, especially if you want to do it in a way that maintains your relationships. BET gets many more requests for partnerships and charitable contributions than I can possibly fund. I try to figure out the best way to convey my support for every organization even when I can’t support them financially.

Pliska: Name two mentors and someone you would love to meet.

Norville: That’s easy. Yvette Noel-Schure gave me my first job in the entertainment industry at Columbia Records. She encouraged me to do informational interviews throughout the company, which is how I learned about CSR in the first place. I still pick up the phone to ask her advice today. Carol Cone is known as the godmother of cause marketing and she is extremely generous with her knowledge. She is a real powerhouse and I’m privileged to call her a mentor.  And more than anything I would love to meet Michelle Obama. She’s also a lawyer that transitioned into the social impact world and she brought such commitment to her initiatives as First Lady. I am excited to see what she has on deck for this next stage in her professional life.

This is Power of Networks, interviews featuring real-world career advice from leaders at the top of their games.