Corporate Citizenship: Influencing Consumer Behavior

Consumers are sending a message to corporate America - "do good, be sincere and you'll earn our trust and our business." Companies are apparently getting the message.

The New York Times reported yesterday that many companies are changing from traditional golf retreats to spending a day doing community service.

"We quickly got past the idea of a ropes course or golf outing; we really wanted something where we could give to one of the communities where we do business," said Samuel D. Walker, chief legal officer for Molson Coors. As a result, the 11-member executive team spent a full day of their Las Vegas meeting this year helping build a house under the tutelage of Habitat for Humanity.

The story also quoted Alan Ranzer, executive director of Impact 4 Good, an organization that matches corporate groups with volunteer opportunities.

"We really are getting a lot more calls. It's something companies are picking up on for multiple reasons. They see value in it for image purposes. Consumers are out there looking for companies that care and that goes a long way."

There's evidence to back it up too.

The 2004 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study found that 86 percent of American consumers who responded said they were 'somewhat likely' to 'very likely' to switch to a brand associated with a cause, if product price and quality were on par.

GolinHarris conducts a national survey every year, Corporate Citizenship Gets Down to Business: Doing Well by Doing Good. The survey 2006 revealed:

Good corporate citizenship can impact business results by stimulating Americans to be loyal, passionate and frequent business advocates and committed customers to brands that have earned their trust and support.

The following companies rated highest on the GolinHarris Corporate Citizenship Index:

• Ben & Jerry's
• Target
• Patagonia
• SC Johnson
• Gerber
• Southwest Airlines
• Johnson & Johnson
• The Body Shop
• UPS
• 3M
• Honda
• Campbell soup
• Quaker
• Kimberly-Clark
• Harley-Davidson

It all boils down to sincerity and active particpation. We advice our clients not to just write a check. Write the check AND donate your employees' time to make a difference in the commuinities where they do business.