What do these brands’ CSR initiatives have in common?

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a term that covers the full gamut of ways in which corporations try to “give back” to the wider community. But as some brands have found to their cost, there are right and wrong ways of implementing a CSR initiative. The following examples of corporate social responsibility illustrate the principles and practices behind successful CSR. The aim is to maximise assistance to beneficiaries. At the same time, effective CSR programmes generate goodwill towards the companies implementing them. We’ll also touch on some bad corporate social responsibility examples and how they can be improved upon.

Tesco corporate social responsibility

Although nothing’s ever perfect, Tesco is taking the high road in CSR in several ways. To begin with, it’s ensuring that it “walks the talk” in its own backyard, at least, as far as possible. There’s no point in supporting environmental charities, for example, if your business isn’t doing what it can for the environment in its business practices. “Charity begins at home” is a maxim worth remembering.

Tesco works to engage local communities by supporting causes close to home, for instance, reducing food waste by donating surplus stock to food banks. While this has generated some public goodwill, Tesco doesn’t leave its employees out of the loop. It may feel good working for a company with strong CSR, but there’s nothing better than getting involved in person, so the company grants free time off for employees who want to do voluntary work for charities. 

Starbucks corporate social responsibility

While regularly spoiling yourself at Starbucks may take a bit out of your budget, your favourite latte isn’t an entirely guilty pleasure. You might be aware that ethical sourcing is part of the package, or that all its outlets are required to be LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified – that means recycling and energy efficiency. Having ensured a “clean house,” the company also reaches out to communities. Local branches partner with nonprofits that operate within their localities, allowing consumers the satisfaction of knowing that their little indulgences at Starbucks benefit causes close to home. 

Apple corporate social responsibility

When it comes to CSR, Apple has raised a few eyebrows in the past. For example, there were shocking allegations of contraventions of labour laws and health and safety regulations at its supplier, Foxconn, during the last decade. More recently, Apple has shown that it’s aware of the pitfalls of bad outsourcing choices after suspending business with a Taiwanese supplier following issues with its labour practices. There are also environmental issues like the volume of hazardous waste generated by its products. However, not all the news is bad. Apple is carbon neutral, recycles, and is working on improvements along the supply chain. 

But is Apple missing some goodwill points by being less obviously involved in community non-profit work within communities? Most sources indicate that its CSR initiatives seem to be rather reactive. Good as many of these appear to be, there’s a perceived lack of altruism and few opportunities for engagement. As a consumer, one doesn’t feel as if supporting Apple can be equated to “giving back”; it’s more of a case of “taking less.” Consumers soon wise up if companies pay lip service to social responsibility, so this last point is really one to bear in mind.

McDonald’s corporate social responsibility

Can a fast-food franchise implement CSR? McDonald’s is certainly trying hard. Its CSR initiatives cover everything from ethical sourcing and reduced carbon emissions to recycling and water use. It has even made some efforts towards making its menu a little more nutritionally balanced. 

On the community front, McDonald’s is also no slouch. From opening accommodation for families who want to be near children receiving medical treatment at hospitals around the world, to volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a lot going on. Donating surplus food rather than wasting it and providing sponsorship for local nonprofit programs are all on the agenda. 

Coca-Cola corporate social responsibility

There’s no denying that Coca-Cola is taking CSR seriously. While some of its initiatives strive to reduce negative impacts the company has contributed to in the past (plastic pollution is a good example), it’s also working to make positive impacts at a community level. All in all, it appears to have left no stone unturned when seeking to address the four pillars of CSR: the environment, ethics, philanthropy, and economic responsibility. 

The only area where it might be faulted is a lack of direct consumer involvement. After all, while it’s good to know that the business you’re supporting is giving back, a little more direct involvement adds to the feeling of having helped someone else while you were treating yourself. 

What we can learn from examples of corporate social responsibility

Having explored everything from the exemplary to the questionable, you may be pardoned for wondering what’s to be learned from it all. But there are common areas to consider. Let’s try to sum this all up. To implement successful CSR initiatives you need to:

• Focus on internal ethics before casting your gaze outward. You can’t be seen as “responsible” if you aren’t implementing good practice in areas over which you have direct control. 
• Ensure that your suppliers exhibit a good code of ethics. The fashion industry is notorious for scandals involving unethical suppliers, but so is the food industry. As a major customer, your business’s reputation will suffer if your suppliers aren’t up to scratch.
• Address all four pillars of CSR insofar as is possible. Environment, ethics, philanthropy, and economic responsibility are all important factors to take into account.
• Benefit local communities directly. While there are benefits to knowing that you’re doing well on global issues, local communities are your supporters and are worth your efforts and attention.
• Set an example. It’s a competitive world, and CSR is a competitive area too. Though it might be seen as altruism, CSR has the potential to generate goodwill, and goodwill is a valuable asset.
• Involve the consumer. The customer is always, or at least, very often, right. When it comes to CSR, they want to feel as if they have a say. And when they buy your products, they want to feel as if they’re making a difference to causes they care about. The clearer it is, and the closer to the things they care about most, the more the goodwill. Opportunities for direct consumer action personalise CSR.
• Let it shine. If you keep quiet about your CSR initiatives, your customers may be pardoned for thinking they don’t exist. If you’re too general in your statements, it can look shallow and lazy. Let people know that choosing your company is the right thing to do by being transparent about your CSR. 

An easy approach to philanthropy for retail and hospitality

While many CSR initiatives relate to how we do business, supporting local causes promotes customer engagement. We’ve already noticed that opacity doesn’t benefit businesses or the causes they support and that the public likes to be directly associated with brands that support community causes. 

Goodbox offers contactless donation boxes so companies can solicit funds for nonprofit organisations directly from the consumer – and it makes it easy for them to feel as though they’re making a difference with your help. It’s a straightforward model. Customers simply tap and go.

This is evident in one of our standout products: the GBx Core. Designed for simple and effective donor engagement, the GBx Core accepts online and offline donations for on-the-go fundraising. Accepting all major payment methods with a 5.5-inch touchscreen to showcase your chosen cause (while allowing people to easily select their desired donation), this device is certain to supercharge any fundraising or CSR project.

So, when you’re considering local nonprofits to support, remember that Goodbox can make your philanthropic initiatives simple and cost-effective while giving your customers that special feeling of having done something to help the community. That doesn’t come from built-into-price donations or promises to donate a small percentage of revenue. It makes it personal, so everyone involved feels as though they’re making a difference. To find out more, download a pricing brochure or contact the GoodBox team today.