The Diffusion of Social Responsibility

Today, social responsibility is gaining more population around the globe. Social responsibility is when a company of single individual has a certain need to help the society around them. Many companies in the United States have taken on the role of social responsibility. Along with the businesses in the United States, many religions and ethnicities have a background of helping out with social responsibility and sustainability.

One company that is very famous for being social responsible is Ben and Jerry’s. They are and ice cream company that offer an assortment of different flavors. When purchasing one of their pints, royalty from that purchase will go to the cause that that flavor represents. They are also sustainable by making their containers with materials found in forests run by wildlife protection programs. They also get their dairy from places that are locally owned. They do still make a profit by opening up stores around the country and allowing customers to come in and try their flavors in a cone or a cup.

One other company that has a lot of social responsibility is IKEA. IKEA is a popular furniture store with locations around the country. They have social responsibility due to their involvement in UNICEF. UNICEF is an organization that helps protect children against diseases and child labor. They also work to help get education to children who do not have a lot of access to it. IKEA is the largest corporate cash donor to UNICEF, giving them a total of around $180 million dollars in donations. This makes the company socially responsible because they have a moral obligation to help with the children in need.

One last company that has a lot of social responsibility is Starbucks. Starbucks is a very popular coffee company that is known for its variety in their products. They have partnered with multiple non-profits and have community stores, where about 5-15% of every financial exchange is donated to their non-profit partners. They also value inclusion and diversity, and also make sure to hire at least 10,000 veterans a year. Not only does Starbucks have a lot of social responsibility, they also are very sustainable. They make sure their suppliers follow specific ethical treatments of their animals.The reason that Starbucks continues to make a profit is the fact that consumers would rather buy products from places that they know have social responsibility. They also have a lot of accomodations with things to make the store more popular like apps and seasonal drinks.

Consumer choices can have a major affect the social responsibility and sustainability in businesses. As of 2017, 60% percent of Americans want businesses to drive environmental and social change. There is no exact percentage for the businesses that are attempting to be sustainable and have social responsibility; although, sustainable investment is up by 33% since 2014. In a survey, about 87% of consumers will be willing to by a product because the company supports a social matter. If these statistics are more known in the business world, maybe more businesses would act with social responsibility. The problem is, these statistics show how many people are WILLING to purchase from socially responsible and sustainable companies, but not how many people actually do purchase from socially responsible companies.

Another thing a business can take into account is their employees. About 72% of people that are new to or are entering the workforce would like to make an impact. If a company shows that they are sustainable and have social responsibility, more people would be drawn in to work for that company so they can make a difference. This could also help the company financially. About 75% of millennials are willing to get payed less in order to work for a company that they know is socially responsible. This is a huge reason for companies to start being socially responsible.         

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