One of the biggest trends in business at the moment is Social Responsibility, also known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). These days, consumers want to find a brand or company that reflects their own views and values regarding the environment, diversity, and some of life’s toughest challenges.
Larger businesses have it easy. They can employ the top people to manage their PR and social responsibility for them. But as a small business owner, what can you do to make a real difference? Read on to find out.
Fair wages for everyone
Providing your staff with a fair wage that gives them disposable income to play with can make a huge difference. The more money they have, the more they’ll spend on local businesses to boost the economy. This can have a knock-on effect on your own business, too.
Fair wages also attract the right people. Jobs that are advertised with a decent wage are much more appealing, and as a provider, you’ll gain a great reputation in your area. This means you’ll have your pick of the best people to help your business grow.
Responsibly sourced materials
Fun fact: 86% of millennials prefer to put money toward products or brands that are using responsibly sourced materials. Sustainability is a major trend in the consumer world, and it’s here to stay. The more you can do to optimize your supply chain and make sure your product uses only the best quality materials from the best suppliers, the more appealing your brand will be.
But, all the hard work of responsibly sourced materials shouldn’t be kept behind the scenes. Brands can create an open and transparent culture by sharing their journey to sustainability with their customers and followers. Use your social channels, newsletters, and even your product packaging to shout about the great work you’re doing for the planet.
Make sure to highlight key features in your product descriptions, too, using keywords like Fair Trade, Organic or Recycled.
Support a local cause
Want to know another fun fact? 9 in 10 millennials will switch to a new brand if they are associated with a good cause that they also support.
So, giving back can actually do wonders for your business. There are plenty of ways for your business to support a cause. Search for charities in Houston to get a few ideas of the types of charities and popular causes in your area.
To support them, you could offer a percentage of all sales to be donated, work on a collaboration for a product or design, or simply organize fundraising events for them.
And again, don’t forget to shout about all the work you’re doing! Supporting a cause shouldn’t just be for publicity, though. It’s a good idea to work your support into your brand’s social mission statement. This will help you to always keep the cause in mind when making business decisions.
So that’s three ways your small business can make a real difference. Sure, you might need to start off small, but you’ll reap the benefits in no time.
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