How Will You Become Socially Responsible In 2009?

December 20, 2008 |

THE FIRST THING you need to do is have a really good understanding of what it actually means to be socially responsible. One place to gain that understanding is in the latest issue of the Journal for Quality & Participation (JQP) which is dedicated to social responsibility. Social responsibility is a fairly complex thing to define and it is becoming increasingly more important that companies and individuals apply some level of responsibility to how they act in both business transaction and among society as a whole.

In the article What Is Social Responsibility? Why Is It Important?, social responsibility as defined by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) as “means that people and organizations must behave ethically and with sensitivity toward social, cultural, economic and environmental issues. Striving for social responsibility helps individuals, organizations and governments have a positive impact on development, business and society with a positive contribution to bottom line results.” If this definition alone is not clear enough, take a look at what companies like Toyota, Starbucks and the Gap are doing to promote their own versions of social corporate responsibility. Or, since this is a Search Engine Marketing blog, you could ‘google’ ’social responsibility’ and see paid search ads by companies like Toyota, Dell, Seventh Generation and Coca-Cola. For additional definitions on social responsibility and the global effort to standardize what it means to be socially responsible, I would highly recommend picking up a copy of The Journal for Quality & Participation - October 2008 when it becomes available.

Another valuable resource to help you plan and prepare for your socially responsible strategy is B Corporation. B corporations are a new bread of companies that “are purpose-driven and create benefit for all stakeholders, not just shareholders.” Other than Seventh Generation noted above, the aforementioned companies approach to social responsibility is different than that of B type companies in that they organize for profit first - B companies organize to help people, communities or the environment first. B Corporation is supported by B Labs which is the certifying body with local ties here in suburban Philadelphia. More information on how to become a certified B Company can be found here. B Corporation has also recently partnered with GOOD Magazine to create GOOD Business whose debut issue featured companies such as Greyston Bakery and Numi Organic Tea. Applying to become a B Corporation member is a great first step to promote your commitment to sustainability.

A third consideration for being socially responsible is that of committing your company and yourself to doing business and living a green way of life. There are wide variety of approaches to how you can make the green commitment. Anything from simple recycling and healthier food choices to energy efficient buildings, homes, offices and IT equipment should be considered. But in order for doing green business and living to make an impact the commitment cannot be one of convenience. In an excerpt from her new book, Mindfully Green, in the 30th Anniversary Issue of Shambhla Sun University of Vermont Professor and practicing Zen Buddhist Stephanie Kaza thoroughly discusses the commitment of living along the green path. The sustainable impact of becoming a green business both locally and globally is critical not only to your bottom line but also extends to the long term viability of local and global communities. Extending green lifeway practices to every decision in everyday life is needed to succeed along the green path of social responsibility.

Whichever way you decide to begin your social responsibility journey in 2009 keep in mind that this way of thinking, living and doing business, like practicing meditation or leading a lean management transformation, requires a high level of discipline. It embraces a level of systems thinking that is far beyond what we are used to so instead of taking the big bang approach try starting small so you do not become easily discouraged. This is a long term strategy. Stay focused on small wins that contribute to big results and you will begin to see how your commitment to social responsibility has a positive impact on the greater whole.

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