The Internet has done many great things, like connecting people around the world and allowing businesses to grow exponentially beyond the confines of their physical location. But the age of social media has shaped how companies and customers interact with each other and the role each play in the global social dialogue. Not only do customers actively seek out brands that prioritize societal or environmental change, but they also demand companies take a stance on social issues. Showcasing Corporate Social Responsibility on your website helps customers who want to align with brands that support causes they care about. Here are some tips to help you get started.
Find a cause that aligns with your business values
Brands and the people behind them hold a lot of influence in today’s world. The moment your business enters the digital area, you have the ability to reach billions of people. When people join together, great things can happen and when businesses stand behind their purpose and values, real change can occur.
You should be genuine about the causes you choose for your corporate social responsibility, particularly because it could influence your brand reputation in the court of public opinion. Your CSR activities should be a natural extension of your business mission and values.
Examples of brands that do it right:
TOMS was the pioneer of the one-for-one charitable model. The original mission of TOMS was to donate a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair purchased. Over the years, TOMS’ corporate social responsibility shifted to a new-age cause. Today, TOMS invests ⅓ of its profits in mental health resources. Although this mission isn’t as “on brand” for the shoe company, they know mental health is an issue that impacts billions of people everywhere.
Thrive Causemetics is another brand that comes to mind. Not only did they cleverly work their “cause” into their name, but the cosmetics brand backed up their charitable efforts with their CSR model. For every product purchased, Thrive Causemetics donates products and money to help communities thrive. As a makeup company, donating to female-centered causes such as women’s health, breast cancer, and domestic abuse is a natural fit.
Spotlight your corporate social responsibility program
How you showcase corporate social responsibility on your website depends on how you highly you prioritize it. If your business model is donation-based or has a focus on being ecological, you’ll want your CSR to be front and center. Display your CSR as a link on your top navigation or feature it on your About Us page. For greater visibility, you should create a dedicated landing page, blog or database where you provide periodic updates and highlight upcoming events.
It is also good practice to register new generic domain like .foundation, .charity, and .gives and forward them to the CSR section of your corporate website. New generic domains are an excellent marketing tool for advertising your message and driving it home with an attention-grabbing call to action.
Be genuine, concise, and straightforward
Communicating how your organization gives back to the community can boost your brand reputation, set you apart from your competitors, and drive people to connect with your brand. But the action has to be authentic to earn the loyalty of your customers. People can tell the difference between genuine and performative corporate social responsibility.
Here are a few rules of thumb to follow when highlighting your CSR initiatives:
- Use simple, clear language
- Talk about the mission more than yourself
- Avoid generic statements and broad claims
- Provide a few facts and statistics you’re proud of
- Always back up statements of your accomplishments with proof
If you want to go the extra mile you can publish annual corporate social responsibility reports on your website for people to download. Don’t be too modest to celebrate your big wins, and don’t be afraid to get your top executives and staff involved. People like to get to know the real people behind the brands they passionately support and love.
Final takeaway
Investing in corporate social responsibility on your website is a fantastic way to build customer trust and further your brand’s mission and success. After all, serving others is an essential part of the human experience.
