Check out our favourite socially responsible brands.

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Brands choosing to do what’s right for the planet have a positive impact and build customer trust in the process get a thumbs up from us here at Suki Marketing.

What does Corporate Social Responsibility look like? 

Corporate social responsibility can come in many different forms, and even the smallest businesses can make an impact. Some examples of corporate social responsibility are: 

  • Reducing carbon footprint
  • Improving their staff/HR policies, including in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
  • Signing up for fairtrade initiatives 
  • Charitable giving
  • Community or charitable volunteering
  • Positive environmental policy changes 
  • Investments in social and environmental organisations

Why is it essential for companies to be socially responsible?

As Millennials and Gen Z become the economy’s driving force, appreciation for socially responsible corporations and positive impact continues to increase. According to research, 85% of Millennials and 80% of Gen Z rank the environment as the most important factor when deciding where to spend their money.

If your brand isn’t considering their waste reduction or looking towards eco-conscious opportunities, you could be missing out on an entire consumer group who prefer to buy from socially responsible and sustainable companies that align on values.

Our favourite socially responsible brands 

Google 

Did you know that back in 2007, Google became the first significant company to achieve carbon neutrality? In 2017, they also completed their 100% renewable energy target. They’re now the largest corporate renewable energy purchaser in the world. Their next goal is to decarbonise by 2030. 

Google inspects practically every part of their business with a social impact lens, from supporting green commuting and employee gift matching to paid time off for community projects and volunteering.

TOMS

We’ve all heard of TOMS’s mission to donate a pair of shoes for every pair they sell, right? This has resulted in over 100 million pairs of shoes donated to children in need. Plus, these profits have been used to assist the visually impaired by providing prescription glasses and medical treatments, safe drinking water and building businesses in developing countries to create jobs.

However, TOMS came under criticism from NGOs for actually hurting local shoe industries with their charitable scheme, so they re-evaluated their strategy. Now the company donates one third of its profits to grassroots campaigns. 

Thornton’s

Did everyone love getting a personalised chocolate present from Thornton’s when they were growing up? Or was that just us? Anyway… alongside providing the UK with delicious chocolate, Thornton’s also has a thorough list of CSR initiatives. They actively support a range of local charities, and staff are encouraged to engage with community-led projects. Their key charity partner is Smile Train and is at the centre of the company’s primary fundraising goals. 

In addition, Thornton’s works on a dedicated integrated waste management business with recycling champions on site, pushing for zero waste. Thornton’s has repeatedly exceeded the Climate Change Agreement targets set by the Food and Drink Federation. Their gas and electricity consumption has declined by more than 10% from last year to 3,688 kWh/tonne of products produced.

In addition, they’re committed to reducing water consumption and signed the Federation House Commitment in 2011.

Greggs 

We’re not just including Greggs for the possibility of a Black Card, but also… we wouldn’t turn one down if they wanted to pop one in the post. 

Greggs is one of the largest bakery chains in the UK, and they have a well-rounded corporate social responsibility policy in place. They engage with extensive charity work through the Greggs Foundation, where employees and customers collectively raise funds and support a large variety of local community projects, including the Greggs Breakfast Club Scheme. The Greggs Breakfast Club contributes to breakfast clubs in the UK. They also have worked hard to reduce the amount of waste in landfills.

In addition, Greggs has a variety of training and development projects in place to support the local community, such as: 

  • Ready to Work – Created in partnership with the prisons and probation trusts, Ready to Work provides ex-offenders with assessment and interview experience.
  • A Taste of Greggs – Created with JobCentre Plus, A Taste of Greggs offers work experience placements and employment, where needed, to young people.
  • Work Programme – Through the Work Programme project, Greggs supports the long term unemployed through work experience and paid employment, where possible.

LEGO

LEGO are one of the most notable examples of how corporate social responsibility can be an asset. Although their dedication to positive social impact is somewhat recent, they were pressured to end a relationship with Shell by Greenpeace in 2014. However, their commitment since has made them a superstar of CSR!  

And it’s not done yet, in 2020, LEGO announced that they would be investing $400 million over 2020-2023 to support their social and sustainability impact. They aim to be carbon neutral by this year (2022) and have all their packaging sustainable by 2025, with plans to avoid single-use plastic and install additional solar panels in their factories. Plus, they have a new focus on creating biobricks, and research into sustainable plastics from renewable and recycled sources is a priority. 

Plus, by this year, the LEGO Group has plans to reach eight million children worldwide a year with their learning through play project. In collaboration with the LEGO Foundation, UNICEF, Save the Children, and local NGOs, LEGO is working on programs that give children the opportunity to develop life-long skills.

Ben & Jerry’s

Since their creation, Ben & Jerry’s has been dedicated to raising awareness of important causes, such as environmental issues and social justice. They’re also committed to fundraising for these causes. Through the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation, they donate 7.5% of their annual profits to good causes by offering grants and funding to grassroots efforts to fight for social justice. 

With such a rigorous CSR strategy, they’ve redefined ‘guilt-free’ ice cream and made social mission such a crucial part of their marketing messaging that you’re not just buying ice cream for yourself; you’re buying ice cream because it’s the right thing to do.

So now you know our favourite brands that are doing CSR right and putting social and environmental impact to the front of their business. Remember, it’s not about making a loss or destroying your ROI; it’s about being a force for good in the world when you’re in a position of power and responsibility. You may not be able to change the whole world, but don’t underestimate your influence in your little corner of the world.  

Ready to make your brand unforgettable?

Are you a business that does good in the world and need some help shouting about it? Why not drop us a message? Here at Suki Marketing, we don’t believe in creating content to ‘tick the box,’ we create content that connects with your audience. So, why not contact us to see how we can help?

Looking for a little help? Let's chat.

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