One thing is helping us cross the finish line as the evenings become colder and darker and the end-of-year exhaustion begins to feel all too real: Christmas. A lot of businesses are taking advantage of the season of goodwill that comes with Christmas by giving to the community and stepping up their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Want to support your neighborhood? Start here on your CSR adventure!
Customers believe that by supporting socially conscious businesses, they are giving back to the community. According to market research firm Nielsen, 55% of customers are willing to pay more for goods or services from businesses that have specific social impact goals.
This element, along with the fact that consumers are spending more money as the year comes to a close, is a surefire way to boost sales. Your business has the chance to gain the trust of customers and encourage them to become repeat customers by implementing CSR during Christmas.
Environment
By removing glitter from its holiday collection, British store Marks & Spencer (M&S) has joined the fight against single-use plastic. To lessen the environmental impact of microplastics, everything will be glitter-free, including Christmas crackers, cards, and calendars.
Although the debut of this campaign around Christmas was ideal for gaining media attention and brand recognition, it’s crucial to remember that CSR initiatives shouldn’t only be for the holiday season. By the end of 2020, M&S intends for all of its year-round card and gift-wrapping items to be completely glitter-free.
CSR initiatives must be prioritized by your company if you want to retain positive staff relations in addition to increasing earnings and boosting customer relations. When a successful CSR practice is in place, employees’ intentions to stay with their current employer and their overall commitment to the firm tend to rise.
Gen Z
The generation that is presently entering the job is more conscious of social injustices and seeks employment where their ideals are shared. In fact, according to the Huffington Post, a staggering 94% of Gen Z believe that businesses should address important issues. Use fundraising event ideas to make sure your organization is attracting the top talent. Many university students who will graduate this academic year start their job search around the Christmas season.
Although Christmas is the ideal time to emphasize your company’s involvement in corporate fundraising, it’s vital to keep in mind that CSR is something you should be focusing on year-round, not just at the holiday season.
To demonstrate to both employees and customers that your business is dedicated to doing good continuously and not only during certain times of the year, it is crucial to follow a roadmap for integrating social impact into your business.
