Corporate Social Responsibility Matters for Small Businesses, Too
People care about a lot of things, and they are starting to demand that the places they buy from have values that align with theirs.
Aside from declaring your company’s core values, one way you can boost your commitment to issues your company cares about is laying out a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. You may think of CSR only being for large international companies (like Starbucks or Levi Strauss), but many small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) are starting to employ it.
CSR is a way to prove to the world that you not only talk the talk, but walk the walk, too. It’s a chance to give back to your community that has helped you grow as a small business owner.
Still on the fence about CSR for your small business? Here are a few more reasons why it’s beneficial for you, even though you’re practicing it on a much smaller scale.
As a small business, you serve your local community. You hopefully want to improve it, and CSR helps you achieve that goal. Depending on the type of your business, you can make positive changes for your community’s natural environment, food kitchen, or local non-profit. But there are also benefits for your business that come from CSR.
When your business is socially responsible, you attract people who want to partner with you. This can result in more sales and more satisfied employees. According to this article, it also means you can compete with large chains on issues that matter most—while it’s hard to compete with them on price, if your business is truly socially conscious and devoted to important issues, many customers will choose you over the big box stores.
There are several SMBs who do CSR well. Here are a few examples:
The Elephant Pants. This company that was seen on Shark Tank makes clothes in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and pays their employees twice the minimum wage. They also donate a dollar for every product sold to organizations dedicated to saving elephants.
Juntos. This fashion start-up makes environmentally conscious canvas shoes, and for every pair sold, they donate a backpack full of school supplies to an at-risk Ecuadorian child so they have the tools they need to succeed.
1canoe2. Our friends at this paper goods shop in Fulton, MO recently announced that they would eliminate 719 lbs. of plastic per year. They’re introducing Kard Klasps, eco-friendly stickers that allow for greeting cards to be packaged without plastic. Not only are they making a difference, but they’re making more sales, too—just check out the comments on their Instagram post.
A quick Google search can give you several ideas for how your business can go about CSR. You can participate in fair trade, donate a certain percentage of your profits to charity, work to reduce your carbon footprint, or simply get a team together to volunteer in your community. Giving a little will go a long way.
For example, at Hoot Design Company, we practice CSR by doing pro bono work for important causes in our community. We help empower girls of color with The BOLD Academy, provide a platform for the HeartSpace Clinic, and support leukemia patients through Mission Orange. We even offer SPACE Lab, a shadowing program dedicated to helping students learn valuable skills in the marketing sphere. We truly want our community to succeed, which is why we’re invested in making that happen.
CSR is a good thing for companies of any size to participate in. It doesn’t have to be a grand effort—just by doing a little, you can reap great benefits.
Hoot Design Co. is a marketing, branding, and design agency located in Columbia, MO. We specialize in creating a custom and comprehensive marketing strategy centered around your business's unique strengths and educating you with the tools you need from day one. From logo design to brand identity, website design and execution, and social media marketing strategies in-person and through online courses, we're focused on your business success every step of the way.