There are no true setbacks in CSR projects; instead, we design them to align with the community's needs and the organization's vision. Challenges often arise during implementation for various reasons, but clear communication with all stakeholders from day one is crucial. In fact, they often provide valuable suggestions for precautionary measures along the way. To regain your client's trust, conduct a problem analysis with the project team and develop a detailed action plan, including potential risks. Prepare a draft outlining key learnings, successes, and achievements, and share it with the client. Engaging in meaningful discussions with actual beneficiaries can leave a lasting, positive impression on your client.

If you’ve hit a rough patch in your project, the first thing to do is acknowledge it. People appreciate transparency, and trying to hide mistakes create more mistrust. Communicating openly about what went wrong and what you’re doing to fix it. Rebuilding trust takes time, but it begins with owning up to the situation and then taking corrective actions. In one of my projects, when we couldn’t meet a commitment due to unforeseen circumstances, we reached out to stakeholders and explained the situation. We also thought of a clear plan to get back on track. In your case, be proactive—reach out, explain, and more importantly, show how you’re adjusting your strategy to ensure it doesn’t happen again. Trust grows when people see you commit.

See, there is nothing called as perfect plan or perfect strategy. It always based of our data matrix and assumptions based on data. Sometime things not happen as per our plan due to many unforeseen circumstances the best example is of Covid-19, no one has thought such kind of pandemic which resulted opportunity to some and setback to some industries. But the industries/ stakeholders understood that issue and remain with their customers/ stakeholders. Similarly, if a setback is coming then it should be properly communicated and do not sit with that setback, analyse it and find the root cause and work on that thing. Explain your client that previous plan was not the only plan, we have lot potential to grow together.

Regaining trust after a CSR setback involves transparency, accountability, and commitment to improvement. For example, when the Indian pharmaceutical company Cipla faced backlash over the delayed rollout of its affordable HIV/AIDS medicines in Africa, they responded by openly addressing the issues and taking corrective measures. Cipla acknowledged the delays and communicated their revised strategy to expedite production and distribution. They worked closely with affected communities and stakeholders to provide regular updates on progress and demonstrate their commitment to overcoming the challenges. By improving transparency, increasing engagement, and showing a renewed focus on their CSR objectives, Cipla worked to rebuild trust.

To regain trust after a CSR project setback, transparency is key. Immediately acknowledge the issue, provide a clear explanation of what went wrong, and outline the steps being taken to rectify it. Engage openly with clients, showing empathy and a commitment to accountability. Reaffirm your CSR values by sharing how the learning from the setback will lead to more robust future efforts. Strengthen partnerships with credible third-party organizations to enhance the credibility of your recovery strategy. Most importantly, remain consistent in delivering positive social impact to demonstrate long-term commitment and rebuild trust gradually through actions, not just words.