Nowadays, the corporate business world is going through some changes. Consumers themselves are the main reason behind such changes, to begin with. The fact of the matter is that consumers are no longer willing to do business with greedy corporations that won’t give anything back to the community that made them rich, in the first place.
This has led to businesses becoming more socially responsible. If you wish to succeed as a business, you must focus on consumers as much as you’d focus on profits. People want companies that want to do good and make a world a slightly better place. With that mind, here are a few ways to be more socially responsible in business.
Environmental awareness
Today, many people are concerned with the state of the environment and global warming that’s been plaguing our world for some time now. The consequences are the direct result of human negligence and most of the pollution originates from corporate businesses. This even reflects on smaller companies that are just starting to make their way to the market.
Businesses that want to become more socially responsible must first try to focus on their impact on the environment. Green and eco-friendly businesses that emphasize practices that will reduce waste and lower the carbon footprint are not just socially responsible but they also favor a good reputation among the consumers. Needless to say, consumers are mindful of such behaviors and changes, which in turn tends to boost the sales of a business. This could also probably be the reason for the popularity of sustainability software similar to Greenstone (greenstoneplus.com) among the corporates. This software tends to help businesses access their impact on the environment, observing which they can make necessary changes.
Charities and donations
It’s no secret that businesses tend to get quite profitable over time. Large corporations are a prime example of the difference in wealth. As a matter of fact, the richest 1% owns more than 45% of the world’s wealth. Consumers simply expect that profitable businesses will be willing to donate some of their surplus profits to those less fortunate, which is the essence of being socially responsible.
What’s more, consumers expect businesses to do so because they want to and not for the sake of the tax deductions for charitable donations and contributions. Therefore, if you want to be socially responsible in business, donating to charities and nonprofits out of your own free volition is one of the best ways to start. As an example, if your company operates Down Under, a children’s charity in Australia can use someone who’s willing to help out. There are also other worthy causes that can use financial support.
Ethical employment
Another way to be socially responsible in business is to treat your employees well. Consumers are more willing to do business with companies that are kind to the workers that are helping the company owners become rich, in the first place.
By promoting a company culture that fosters employee well-being, you can portray that your business is indeed socially responsible from the ethical employment point of view. You can share employee stories on social media and show consumers what an employee’s day in your company looks like. This is especially true if you operate in the international waters where stories of exploiting children and underpaid 24-hour work shifts define corporate success.
Volunteer support
As mentioned before, taking without giving anything back is a sign of a greedy corporate mindset that consumers dislike in general. On the other hand, giving without asking anything in return is a sign of a socially responsible business.
You don’t have to be prompted to help someone out or support an organization that’s fighting for a just cause. Instead, plan out your mission and volunteer support to organizations that need it the most. That way, you’ll be able to show that your business is sincere when it comes to being socially responsible and that there’s no hidden agenda behind your actions.
A socially responsible business is almost a must these days. Consumers want companies that are concerned about the environment, as well as companies that are willing to support their communities without asking for benefits. If you plan your strategy the right way and follow a proper moral compass, you can easily become more socially responsible in business.
