1. law, govt and politics
2. government
3. government agencies

Integrating CSR into CAPS
Collaborative
What is CAPS Collaborative?
➔ CAPS Collaborative was established in 1975 to create programs and provide services for
children with a wide range of special educational needs
➔ CAPS faculty represents the disciplines of special education, clinical psychology, speech
pathology and the allied health professions
➔ Each child’s unique personality, strengths and needs are carefully studied by a team of
experienced professionals. These teams along with parents create individualized programs. In
each class, students have compatible skills, learning needs and styles, and behavior
➔ CAPS classes are integral parts of local public schools. CAPS students range in age from three
through twenty-one
Mission, Vision & Values
Mission - CAPS Education
Collaborative will work in partnership
with districts to provide programs
and services of the highest quality
Vision - CAPS will be the provider
of choice for regional programs and
services
Values
➔ We will commit every aspect of the organization to providing exceptional
educational opportunities for students
➔ We will demonstrate quality and responsiveness by becoming the first
choice of districts for programs and services
➔ We will strive to be a customer-focused organization that constantly
evaluates district needs
➔ We will integrate quality, integrity, respect, and teamwork into every
aspect of the organization
➔ We will demonstrate accountability through constantly evaluating
results and progress towards goals
➔ We will implement programs and services in the most cost-effective
manner and exercise due diligence in financial decision making
➔ We will work in partnership with districts to ensure that students transition
to the least restrictive environment in their home school district
Business Model
Through CAPS mission, vision and values, it is apparent that CAPS’s strategy is one of creating shared value, social
education and awareness. CAPS’s business is built on helping children and creating an educational environment for
their students to thrive and succeed in.
Tuition & Expenses
Community Goals
➔ CAPS Collaborative is committed to providing a school environment that enhances learning and
the development of lifelong wellness practices in accordance with the Federal Public Law (PL
108-265) and Massachusetts State Regulation 105 CMR 215. CAPS Collaborative recognizes
that student health and success in school are interrelated
➔ CAPS Collaborative has an on-going Wellness Committee appointed by the Executive Director
that is comprised of a variety of stakeholders such as representatives from food services, health
care professionals, and community agencies serving youth, parents, students, and the board of
directors
➔ The Wellness Committee reflects the cultural, linguistic, and ethnic composition of the
community and the communities CAPS serves to the maximum extent possible. The breadth
and scope of this committee may fluctuate depending on the issues being addressed, and the
population of children we serve
Wellness Committee
➔ The Wellness Committee keeps the Board of Directors updated on any substantial changes and
otherwise reports on a yearly basis
➔ The Wellness Committee meets a minimum of 4x a year and focuses on educating and
supporting students and staff to make healthy choices around nutrition and physical activity
➔ CAPS Collaborative promotes lifelong wellness through a collaboration between curriculum,
programs and activities, and community connections. In order to accomplish these goals CAPS
focuses on 4 areas: Nutrition Education, Physical Activity & Education, Nutrition Standards, and
other School Based Activities
Identify Stakeholders
➔ Internal and external
➔ Actively involved with/affected by pilot programs and other projects being
implemented
➔ Stakeholders include, but are not limited to:
◆ local communities
◆ students within the CAPS programs
◆ parents
◆ employees
◆ school board members within CAPS districts
◆ school administrative personnel
◆ Westminster PD and Fire Department (details later)
➔ Identify whether a particular stakeholder is a threat, a critical factor for the
organization’s survival, a potential collaborator, etc. This will determine what type of
relationship CAPS builds with them.
Reasons for Stakeholder Engagement
➔ CAPS can benefit from strategic business planning by
understanding the significance of their stakeholders
◆ Seeing where/how each stakeholder fits into the ‘big picture’
concerning CAPS’s mission = better understanding of values, impacts,
implementation strategies, & proper measurement and reporting
➔ Engagement will be both advisory and participatory
depending on the stakeholder
➔ Will help to develop and utilize relationships between CAPS
and its surrounding community for mutual benefit
Plan Engagement Process
1. Identify the desired deliverables of the engagement, from both CAPS and the
stakeholders themselves
a.
b.
Engagement process for CAPS will provide strategies, processes, and infrastructures to
determine the most important components for stakeholders, encourage and involve them to leave
feedback, and allow CAPS to monitor and manage stakeholder satisfaction levels
Will describe all levels of stakeholders in order to account for all levels of interest and involvement
2. Select the appropriate engagement approach
a.
b.
Direct stakeholders—appropriate methods include focus groups, key-person meetings, or council
meetings
Indirect stakeholders—appropriate methods include interviews (individual or small group),
surveys, or referrals
Start the Dialogue
➔ Mutual benefits for CAPS and its
stakeholders are maximized with high levels
of openness and respect
➔ Identification and inclusion of stakeholders
within the dialogue is crucial
◆
CAPS will include in its stakeholder dialogue the
individuals or groups who affect/are affected by the
pilot programs or any relevant business decision
➔ If important stakeholders are excluded from
significant decision-making processes, trust
can be damaged and future engagement may
be discouraged
Start the Dialogue...
Conduct CSR Assessment
➔ CAPS to take their commitment to responsibility and invest it in the assessment
process to better understand existing opportunities w/in the organization
➔ Stages of a CSR Assessment are outlined below:
1.
CSR Leadership Team: this team should consist of individuals from all levels of CAPS. All members must be
encouraged to contribute ideas, allowing for the aforementioned dimensions of openness and inclusion
2.
Define CSR: a working definition of CSR needs to be established to serve as the foundation for the assessment;
key values and motivators should also be identified
3.
Legal Requirements: legal requirements should be identified to ensure basic laws are not being infringed upon
while CAPS continues to voluntarily improve its operations
4.
Review: reviewing key corporate documents, processes, and activities can help the organization recognize the
most valuable areas on which to focus
5.
Stakeholders: identifying and engaging key stakeholders, as mentioned before, can help to identify potential
opportunities for CAPS as well as potential problem areas
Implementing CSR
Social Education & Awareness
➔ School assembly featuring CAPS graduate
◆ Educate and inspire students
◆ Increase awareness
➔ Student Activity Learning Program
◆ Easter Seal’s ‘Friends Who Care’ disability
awareness curriculum
● In-class learning activities that are both fun and
informative regarding life with a disability
Community Development
➔ Volunteering programs
◆ Westminster Police and Fire Department
● Field trip events for younger kids
➔ Informal learning sessions with the students
◆ Police officers can work to change the negative connotations
associated w/ law enforcement
◆ Potential to turn into a weekly ‘class’ or discussion
Reducing the Carbon Footprint
➔ Recycling Program
◆ Recycling bins in every office
● Paper, glass and plastic waste in designated bins
➔ Reduce energy consumption
◆ Traditional lights will be replaced by LED lights
CSR Committee(s) to be Established
➔ Add CSR to existing board committee responsibilities
◆ Reduces inconvenience and increases
understanding and support
➔ Internally, CSR will be under jurisdiction of a senior
official
◆ Depending on engagement, committee could be the
best option in the future
Org. Change Mgmt—Engagement of
Leadership & Staff
➔ Alignment w/ current structure and strategy
➔ Focus on CSR actions that make the
most ‘business-sense’
◆
Partner w/ mission and continued education
➔ Assign specific responsibilities
➔ Fully integrate CSR thru performance
evaluations and job descriptions
➔ Gather feedback, regularly update on
progress, manage incentives/disincentives,
recognize good ideas
➔ CSR training
➔ Systems for managing problematic
behavior
Implement CSR Commitments
➔ Establish a decisionmaking structure
◆ Who makes the
decision? Do they have
what they need to do the
job?
➔ Processes
➔ Prioritization
Measure, Report and Verify Progress
➔ Set measurable targets and identify performance
measures
◆ SMART Goals
➔ Quantitative vs. qualitative feedback
◆ Qualitative is an alternative
➔ Be transparent—but don’t overwhelm!
◆ Customize for each relevant stakeholder group
➔ Address performance and societal trends
◆ How does CAPS relate?
➔ Internal audits or industry/peer reviews
◆ Abide by global standards ASAP
Evaluate and Improve
• What worked well? In what areas did the firm meet or exceed targets?
• Why did it work well? Were there factors within or outside the firm that helped
it meet its targets?
• What did not work well? In what areas did the firm not meet its targets?
• Why were these areas problematic? Were there factors within or outside the
firm that made the process more difficult or created obstacles?
• What did the firm learn from this experience? What should continue and what
should be done differently?
• Drawing on this knowledge, and information concerning new trends, what
are the CSR priorities for the firm in the coming year? and
• Are there new CSR objectives?
*Use an Excel sheet, at least, to track trends; feasible for small businesses too
The Future of CAPS and CSR...
➔ Influence on neighboring organizations
➔ Application to public school(s)
➔ Utilization of plan and presentation
➔ B Impact Assessment
Questions?