28th: Practice corporate social responsibility
Jan 29, 2024
Whether you encourage your employees to cycle to work or adopting reduced plastic dependency, being socially responsible can help small businesses in many ways other than feeling proud. When your target audience sees you contributing to a good cause, they will admire you for making such efforts despite being a small business with a limited budget. Having a solid brand image may increase your revenues. Your employees will feel good to be a part of an organization that has high ethics and social values. Your prospective lenders will respect you for being a concerned and socially active business.
Here are some small business social responsibility ideas that you may follow even if you have a shoe-string budget:
- The easiest thing you can do is to reduce the carbon footprint and pollution generated by your business. Adopt zero waste measures. Recycle things as much as possible. Comply with all relevant environmental regulations. When you have achieved this, let everyone know about it through your website, social media pages, marketing materials, banners, sales pitches, press releases, etc.
- Pick a cause and organize/participate in events related to it. If possible, choose a cause that appeals to your target audience. Mental health, children’s health, de addiction awareness drives, old-age care, etc. are some of the most appealing CSR ideas.
- Do not just pay for CSR activities organized by others. Go and volunteer in the drives, campaigns, and events organized for those causes. Make in-house teams and ask them to attend such events routinely; one team at a time so work doesn’t suffer. Make them wear your brand’s merchandise so people can see you working on the ground.
You can organize your own CSR events or collaborate with a local NGO. While making your budget, allocate a specific percentage of your profits for CSR, so you don’t have to worry about last-minute budget allocations.
