There’s a growing conversation happening in boardrooms and brand decks. One centred on purpose. Corporate social responsibility (or CSR) has become a staple of modern tech business, often packaged into polished reports and neatly worded mission statements. But as consumers and employees become more discerning, one question keeps surfacing: is it real or performative?
Because when it comes to impact, intention isn’t enough. Action is everything. For Tracey Broers, Group General Manager Risk at SKG Services, that distinction couldn’t be clearer. Her approach to CSR isn’t built on optics – it’s built on over a decade of consistent, on-the-ground work in Cambodia, supporting Feeding Dreams Cambodia. And it offers a powerful blueprint for what meaningful, proactive CSR can actually look like.
Beyond the optics: what real CSR demands
It’s easy to support a cause from a distance. A donation here, a campaign there. But real corporate responsibility asks more of us. It asks for time, presence, and a willingness to engage with complexity.
For Tracey, that has meant returning to Cambodia year after year, most recently in January, to work directly within communities facing significant poverty and vulnerability. Through Feeding Dreams Cambodia, she has contributed to programs that provide more than 900 children living in slum communities with access to free education and daily nutrition.
But what sets this apart isn’t just the outcome, it’s the consistency.
Real CSR doesn’t happen in one-off moments. It’s built through long-term commitment. It’s understanding that change is incremental, and that showing up repeatedly is what transforms support into impact.
On the ground, Tracey’s work spans far beyond fundraising. She has helped deliver critical infrastructure to support the program’s growth, stepped into classrooms as a teacher’s aide, and worked alongside local teams to ensure children not only have access to education, but the stability to continue it.
It’s immersive. It’s hands-on. And, it’s a far cry from performative.
Why proximity matters
One of the biggest challenges with performative CSR is that organisations distance themselves from the issue, the people, and the reality of what’s needed. When organisations design initiatives without proximity, they risk missing the mark.
Tracey’s long-standing involvement in Cambodia flips that model. By being physically present, she has developed a deep understanding of the barriers these communities face – from inconsistent access to food and schooling, to the broader systemic challenges that make long-term change difficult.
And with that understanding comes better action. Instead of short-term fixes and assumed needs, the focus shifts to sustainable solutions. Infrastructure that lasts. Programs that evolve. Support that adapts to real needs.
It also changes how success is measured. Surface-level metrics are no longer the bench mark. Rather results can be found in tangible outcomes – children staying in school, families accessing reliable meals, and communities gaining resources that continue to serve them long after volunteers leave.
Building a culture that goes beyond the checklist
Perhaps one of the most important takeaways from Tracey’s work is how it translates back into business.
At SKG Services, the team doesn’t treat CSR as a marketing exercise. They embed it into the company’s culture, with leadership actively supporting it and creating real opportunities for employees to contribute in meaningful ways.
Tracey herself is encouraged each year to spend three weeks in Cambodia continuing her volunteer work. That level of support sends a clear message: giving back isn’t an afterthought, it’s a priority. And that’s where proactive CSR begins. Less a campaign, more a culture.
When businesses actively create space for their people to engage with causes – whether locally or globally – it shifts the entire dynamic. Employees feel empowered to contribute. Purpose becomes lived. And the impact extends far beyond what any single initiative could achieve.
It also challenges the idea that CSR needs to be grand or complex. Sometimes, it’s about backing long-term commitments. Supporting grassroots programs. And trusting that consistent, focused efforts can create meaningful change over time.
The difference between showing and doing
In today’s landscape, performative CSR is easy to spot. It often prioritises visibility over substance – moments designed to be seen, rather than sustained. But the difference between showing and doing is time.
Tracey’s decade-long commitment to Cambodia underscores a simple truth: real impact requires endurance. It requires returning to the same communities, investing in the same programs, and building relationships that deepen over time.
Through her work with Feeding Dreams Cambodia, that endurance has translated into measurable, meaningful outcomes – from the delivery of essential infrastructure to the ongoing support of education and nutrition programs that continue to evolve with the community’s needs. It’s not about quick wins. It’s about lasting change.
A more meaningful way forward
As the expectations around corporate responsibility continue to evolve, stories like this offer a valuable reminder: CSR shouldn’t be reactive, and it shouldn’t be performative.
It should be proactive, intentional, and deeply connected to real-world impact. Because when businesses move beyond surface-level engagement and invest in long-term, hands-on initiatives, the results speak for themselves. Communities are strengthened. Opportunities are created. And the ripple effect extends far beyond what any single effort could achieve.
For Tracey, the work in Cambodia is ongoing. Rather than a single trip or milestone, it is a commitment that continues to grow year after year. And in that consistency lies the true power of CSR. Not as something we say, but as something we do.
