SMU School of Social Sciences Professor of Public Policy Ann Florini was a panellist at the launch of the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre's Company of Good programme on Thursday. Tacking the topic "Goodness is the business of every organisation", the panel discussed whether businesses such as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that might not have the resources for corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects could team up with other SMEs or larger organisations to carry out such projects - since CSR benefits companies by allowing them to build stronger relationships with customers, and to attract and retain talent. Prof Florini said: "I think they should start by ensuring that they don't try to do it on their own. The companies that tend to be successful on this journey are ones that realise this is not something they have to figure out by themselves. So you have things now like Company of Good as a great starting point to have a conversation." She noted that CSR activities where businesses engage with their customers are great means of uncovering business opportunities. "The more you know of the community in which you are operating - the more you are engaged particularly in the kind of integrated giving that is related to your business model - the more you can understand what your future opportunities might be. It's a fabulous means of information gathering,” she added.