Customers | The Green Economy Post: Green Careers, Green Business, Sustainability

Why Social Media Is Vital to Corporate Social Responsibility

By Melissa Rowley on July 28, 2010 4 Comments authentic, Climate Change, CO2 emissions, Constituents, corporate social responsibility, CSR, customers, digital democracy, environmental footprint, good corporate citizens, green products, ICT, information and communication technologies, innovation, Intel, Jeffrey Hollender, Justmeans Social Media for Sustainability conference, Laura Adams, Melissa Jun Rowley, Michael Jacobson, morale, NIKE, San Francisco, Seventh Generation, Social Media, stakeholders, sustainable, transparency, transparent, viral chain reaction of interest, We Portal

Social media has begun to play a key role in how companies shape their corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and present themselves as good corporate citizens. The standard for CSR is being redefined and is evolving as a driver of innovation. The bottom line is now three-fold, and is centered around people, planet, and profit. As business leaders strive to build more sustainable and socially responsible entities, formal social media strategies are becoming paramount.

Greenwashing’s Two-Edged Sword

By Bill Roth on May 25, 2010 1 Comment Addis Creson, authenticity, CFL light bulb, Clorox, Cone Research, corporate, customers, environmental advocates, environmentalists, Green Works, greenwashing, hybrid cars, John Creson, Kashi, Sierra Club, Social Media, Steven Addis, sustainability, The Secret Green Sauce, transparency

The fear of being being branded as a “greenwasher” is holding back many companies from adopting and advertising their sustainable practices. While environmental advocates should continue to hold companies accountable for their claims, it is important for businesses that are going green to overcome their greenwashing fears and connect with their customers. The use of social media is a great way to establish authenticity, trust and transparency in this context.

Green Marketing: What Works, What Doesn’t

By Sofia_Ribeiro on April 27, 2010 1 Comment budget, customers, direct marketing, employees, Environmental Leader, Founde, green company, Green Marketing, Green Marketing: What Works, green products, greener values, ingredients, intended use, internet, Kiwano Marketing, manufacturers, marketers, marketing message, marketing messages, media, Mobile, online marketing, outdoor, packaging, print, product pricing, radio, sales, sofia ribeiro, sustainability program, trackable media, TV

The Environmental Leader has recently released what is already one of the most relevant green marketing studies ever made. Green Marketing: What Works, What Doesn’t takes a critical look at green marketing and digs up eye-opening information such as the green marketing effects on product pricing, what media are most used in green marketing campaigns, and which of these are most effective.

Which Stakeholder Hat are you Wearing Right Now?

By Kevin_Moss on April 13, 2010 Comments Off on Which Stakeholder Hat are you Wearing Right Now? competitive disadvantage, corporate responsibility, CR practitioners, customers, employer, investors, mutual fund, reputational issues, shareholders, socially responsible investing, SRI, stakeholder groups, stakeholder relationships, stakeholders

Different stakeholder groups have different standards when it comes to CR. The same individual can have multiple stakeholder relationships with a single company on the same day. And apply different values to that one company, depending on the moment. If we could help stakeholders to see the inconsistencies in their own value judgments we would be making a start at closing that gap.

The 3 Basic Steps To Create Trust Through Corporate Social Responsibility (Part 3 of 3)

By cjarvis on November 18, 2009 2 Comments “Building Trust in Corporate Responsibility” CSR is all about stakeholder, awareness, believability, cause-marketing, common good, Community Ambassador, corporate self-regulation, corporate social responsibility, CSR, CSR followers, CSR message, CSR programs, CSR reports, CSR strategy, customers, Dirk Matten), employee volunteering, Employee Volunteering and Social Capital: Contributions to Corporate Social Responsibility, employees, environment, ethical, ethical standards, EVP, future proofing, interactive, intrinsic trust, Jeremy Moon, Jonathan Ballantine notes in his article, Judy N. Muthuri, marketing, promotional campaigns, social capital, Social marketing, Social Media, social media platform, socially responsible company, stakeholders, sustainabilityforum.com, trust, trust capital, trustworthy, twitter, two-way communication, Wal-Mart

If business wants to regain the public’s trust, they’re going to have to be trustworthy, and employees are the key. Here are three basic steps to engage your employees, build social capital, and win stakeholder trust.

Make Your CSR Believable? How? Create and Leverage Social Capital

By cjarvis on November 11, 2009 1 Comment Allstate Insurance, and How To Win It Back, Blackberries, Blackberry, brand, Chris Jarvis, Christine Arena, corporate reputation, corporate social responsibility, corporate terrorist, corporate transparency, Creative Minds, CSR, CSR strategy, customers, Dennis Bruce, economic collapse, energy, ethical corporate citizens, Exxon Mobile, FBIC, green, Harvard Business School, Jeff Swartz, JustMeans, Monsanto, Realized Worth, responsible supply chains, RIM, Royal Bank, social capital, social concerns, stakeholders, sustainability message, Timberland, top three worst insurer, trust, Trust: Why Business Lost It, trustworthy, workplace

Many companies are turning to Corporate Social Responsibility as a strategy to win back the trust of their stakeholders and customers. It won’t work. Why? Because you don’t become trustworthy by asking people to trust you even more. Corporate social responsibility requires trust.

Don’t Cut CSR Spending: Reallocate to Build Your Brand

By Jennifer_Rice on October 27, 2009 2 Comments allocating resources, Best Buy’s, brand builders, brand promise, Brand/Customer quadrant, cause-marketing, CEO, Citizenship Report, Clorox GreenWorks, CMO, community, Community/Customer, consumer expectations, corporations, CRO, CSR initiatives, CSR investments, customers, design/value, Ecomagination, electronics recycling, employee volunteerism, employees, energy, environmental initiatives, ethical brand-building, ethical brands, ethical business practices, fair labor practices, Fair Trade, Fairmont Hotel, GE, Geek Squad Summer Academy, Green Cuisine, greenwash, innovation platforms, internal operations, IT, job creating ethical brand drivers, job creation, Kiva.org, lobbying powe5, local brand pillar corporate social, Marks & Spencer, opportunity audit, philanthropy efforts, recession, reputation-building, Seventh Generation, social needs, social-impact initiatives, strategic alignment, suppliers, supply chain, sustainability initiatives, tablestakes initiatives, Target, Timberland, triple-bottom line innovation, trust, value creation, waste, Water, white-space opportunities, Whole Foods

As consumer expectations rise and trust in corporations decline, the need for ethical business practices is greater than ever. Yet in a recession, companies seeking to cut costs will likely postpone important CSR initiatives or cut spending in favor of core business initiatives. But it doesn’t have to be either-or. Companies that consider social and environmental initiatives as potential innovation platforms and brand builders — not expenses — will come out ahead.