A prominent example of CSR was Intercontinental Hotels Group’s (IHG) decision this past summer to move from travel size to bulk size amenities in all of their hotel rooms in order to reduce plastic waste. This was a huge PR opportunity and put IHG ahead of their competition. Marriott made the switch shortly after.
In addition to great PR coverage, other benefits of CSR include more thoughtful and emotional engagement in consumer conversations surrounding the brand and converting people who think neutrally about a company to thinking positively. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s report found that “companies who increased promotion of CSR work online experienced improvements in how they are viewed by social media users” (DeCourcey, Bowdish, Melley, Schoen, Hart & Krass, 2017).
A company’s social media strategy is a perfect venue to display CSR efforts. Press releases are still relevant, but there are more modern ways to gain recognition. Partnering with other organizations with a strong social media presence can amplify your reach. If your company is engaging in a CSR activity, encourage individual employees to volunteer and post on social media. Photo and video are increasingly important in this age where it’s harder and harder to compete for consumer’s attention. Create a 15-30 second video for social media that grabs attention and delivers a powerful message or consider live-steaming CSR events. You can even create longer commercials that could go viral on social media, likes these.
The Socialnomics article also suggests keeping promotion of your CSR activities on social media subtle. The article says, “Bragging about your socially responsible efforts can come across as self-promotional and insincere, which can drive more people away than you end up attracting. There’s nothing wrong with making an announcement here, but the more subtle you are in your approach, the more respect you’re liable to earn from your community” (Johansson, 2017).
According to a Nilsen study, 55 percent of global online consumers across 60 countries say they are willing to pay more for products and services provided by companies that are committed to positive social and environmental impact. This study also revealed that companies who promoted their sustainability actions through marketing efforts experienced a lift in sales of five percent. A review of 14 other brands without sustainability claims or marketing shows a sales rise of only one percent. As you can see, it pays to give back!
Corporate Social Responsibility.net published a list earlier this year of the top 100 companies around the world with the best CSR reputation. The top ten on the list were:
1. Google (U.S.)
2. The Walt Disney Company (U.S.)
3. Lego (Denmark)
4. Natura (Brazil)
5. Novo Nordisk (Denmark)
6. Microsoft (U.S.)
7. Bosch (Germany)
8. Canon (Japan)
9. Michelin (France)
10. Ikea (Sweden)
Do any of these companies surprise you? Are there some that you think should have been in the top 10? What causes are you passionate about?
This was a great blog post! I loved how many examples you showed throughout the post. I had never heard of CSR before, but this is a great idea that every company should follow. I agree that Press Releases are important but they are becoming a thing of the past. By creating these short promotional videos, it keeps your customers engaged and interested in your brand. These days, not many people will take the time to see down and read a Press Release but I think they will watch a short promotional video. When talking about the top 10 companies in the world, none of these surprise me. These are the companies that are most none because of how well they promote their products. A cause that I am passionate about is the "Wounded Warriors Foundation". This is a great way to give back to those who fought for our country. @ConnellyNathan
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