Written by Gemma Clarke
More and more businesses are beginning to look at their product or service’s impact on the world. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is not just about taking care of the environment or promoting equality. It’s about how socially, economically, and environmentally conscious your business operations are and whether your company positively or negatively impacts the world.
To become more socially responsible, companies implement CSR initiatives. However, the benefits of introducing these practices extend much further than you can imagine. Let’s look at CSR initiatives and how they can help you become a more desirable company to job seekers.
What is a CSR initiative?
Implementing CSR initiatives ensures that your business’s impact on the world is positive and can help you better align with your values and ethics. It can also help you gain more customer trust. Acting responsibly will make you come across as a corporation that cares about environmental issues and encourages social change.
Companies of all sizes can improve their corporate social responsibility. For example, even the smallest company can make a difference in their community and inspire other local businesses by doing something as simple as donating to a food bank. Moreover, larger corporations who operate worldwide can significantly impact global issues through implementing good CSR initiatives across their board.
Since CSR initiatives span a wide range of issues, a firm should look to implement the practices that best match the company’s vision. Some of the most common CSR initiatives are:
- Reducing carbon footprint
- Improving labour policies
- Participating in fair trade agreements
- Increasing diversity in the workforce
- Donating to charities
- Volunteering and helping in the community
- Going green and making sustainable choices
- Ensuring investments are socially and environmentally conscious
Which companies have good CSR initiatives?
So, which companies are leading the way in corporate social responsibility right now? Let’s take a look.
- H&M
Through their CSR policy, H&M has actively created an image for themselves as a responsible company. Firstly, the brand was one of the first fashion retailers to stock a sustainable collection in its stores. In addition, they continue to participate in social activities which help to improve the quality of life of low-wage countries they operate in, such as India.
2. Lego
Lego has pledged to phase out single-use plastic packaging for its bricks and have set the goal for all their packaging to be sustainable by 2025. They are innovatively doing this by replacing their plastic materials with a plant-based alternative made from sugarcane.
3. TOMS Shoes
TOM’s introduced the unique initiative of donating one pair of shoes for every pair they sell to children in need. This pledge resulted in the donation of over 100 million pairs of shoes. Furthermore, the profits have helped other causes, such as providing safe drinking water and building businesses in developing countries to create jobs.
4. Bosch
By introducing ambitious CSR practices, German engineering and technology company Bosch has significantly reduced its ecological footprint. Today, 400 of its locations are climate neutral.
5. Disney
In their 2020 CSR report, The Walt Disney Company shared their goals for zero net greenhouse gas emissions and zero waste throughout the organization, along with a pledge to conserve water. As well as tackling global issues, they are active in the community. For example, when they closed their parks during the COVID-19 pandemic, they used this time to provide $27 million towards food and PPE to those in need.
Why job seekers look for companies with good ethics
Companies are well aware of how their ethics and CSR can impact their customers’ image of them. Studies have also found that employees are happier and more productive when they know their leaders have solid morals and are creating positive social change.
So, what impact does a company with strong CSR initiatives have on its prospective employees and job seekers?
Millennials and social responsibility
In 2021, not only are millennials the fastest growing force in the marketplace, but most companies’ job candidates are now millennials and Generation Z, too. These younger generations are known to care considerably more about corporate social responsibility than older generations.
Millennials are keen to take part in social initiatives such as volunteering and making donations. Furthermore, when it comes to their career, they actively look for socially responsible “high-impact” companies to work for. In a recent study, 72% of students about to enter the workforce agreed that working for a company that “makes an impact” is essential for their happiness.
Considering most companies’ primary target group for job openings is millennials, businesses are always looking for effective ways to market to this age range. Many millennials research a company’s ethics before applying for a position to ensure their values align with theirs. Therefore, showcasing how you are making a positive impact on the world is the best way to attract high-quality millennial prospects. By publicly sharing your pro-social initiatives, you will stand out from other organizations.
Social responsibility trends
Social responsibility trends such as on-the-job harassment through the #metoo movement and the anti-racism #blacklivesmatter trends have impacted how companies promote themselves. As a result, many companies will create new CSR practices (or highlight existing ones) that are against the social injustice issues in the limelight.
For example, after the sexual assault allegations regarding Kevin Spacey came to light, Netflix immediately removed him from House of Cards, a Netflix original production. As a business, if you show that you take a stand and speak out against social injustice, you will soon become a much more appealing organization to job seekers.
Final Thoughts
In this day and age, CSR initiatives do not only build customer trust and employee engagement, but they can give you an advantage in the job market too. Having strong company ethics will help you find high-quality candidates who will feel proud to work for you and want to stay and grow with you, too.