There’s a sentiment online that politics and social change shouldn’t be the domain of businesses or celebrities with large platforms. Now of course, that’s a bit of a confused notion, because anyone should be able to talk about anything and make their opinions known. That being said, it’s true that there’s a risk involved. Ben and Jerry’s, the ice cream brand, are known for being very vocal about social justice, for instance, with some agreeing wholeheartedly and some customers feeling it’s unbecoming of people they buy food from to give lectures. We’ll leave that judgment up to you.
However, that doesn’t mean being loud about an issue precludes your company from effecting social change, or at least caring about your contribution to it. As we’ve recently seen with the Cracker Barrel controversy, sometimes you can’t get over the reputational impact. But many other firms work quietly in the background to use their platform in various positive ways.
In this post we’ll explore how to do this, with the caveat that if you do want to be loud about it, you should feel every right to:
Vet Partners You Work With
It’s true that the people and organizations you choose to work alongside will always reflect back on you no matter what. If your suppliers are found to cut corners or your distributors act in ways that clash with your values, as they can sometimes do, customers will assume you endorsed it, even if you had no knowledge at the time.
That’s why careful checks into the history and behavior of partners are worth the effort. For example, if you’re relying on a 3PL provider to manage logistics and distribution, even their public persona can reflect on you. It pays to make sure their standards align with yours, because the reputational impact of ignoring this can arrive suddenly and without much warning.
Make Appropriate Donations To Causes You Care About
Financial support will generally speaks louder than statements. Customers tend to notice when a company backs its words with tangible action, and to contribute an example here, you might think about donating to relief efforts after a disaster, funding scholarships, or supporting local community projects and sports teams.
Of course, it doesn’t need to be headline-grabbing, as a small but consistent commitment to causes connected with your field or customer base really does show integrity, and it avoids the appearance of jumping on trends for short-lived praise. You don’t have to be anonymous, but you can let the word of mouth spread for you too.
Live Your Principles
The most convincing form of social responsibility is when it’s ingrained in how you operate day to day. After all, if you’re an empathetic firm, you don’t have to talk about it, you can be it. That might imply you are constantly developing and refining your best working conditions, focusing on sustainability in sourcing, or treating staff fairly in ways customers may never fully see.
Luckily, over time, people notice patterns. If the culture is strong and the decisions line up with the values you claim, trust should build – which means when you really do market yourself, you have history to back up any healthy claims you make about your priorities.
WIth this advice, we hope you can more easily effect social change but without being loud about it.
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