Woods: How to improve your business’s corporate social responsibility

Elizabeth Woods, Plexus Worldwide

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Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) plays a vital role for American companies, and we want to urge other local businesses to consider their giveback.

To contribute in an effective way means more than acts of occasional philanthropy. Here are my tips on how to make your CSR efforts personal and effective:

Consider your core values to focus your efforts

You might want your company to contribute to every local nonprofit because you see every issue as important, but this would not be an effective use of time, staff or resources. Creating core values that align to your business will help you focus your efforts.

Plexus is passionate about ending hunger, so we partnered with national organization Feeding America® in 2018 to create our Nourish One® initiative, then partnered with global organization Mary’s Meals. We’ve contributed the equivalent of over 43 million meals so far, and believe our success is due to working with leaders in the communities we do business to fight food insecurity at the grassroots level.

Get your staff involved

How can you get staff involved? Offer paid time off so employees can contribute in the way that matters to them. I advise food and clothing drives as well as volunteer events. Not only is this helpful for local nonprofits, but it also creates a sense of community for staff.

Align your products with your mission

How can you align your products with your mission? This can be retail, services or whatever your business might offer — consider how you can give back through what you know. We include a monetary donation of $1, the equivalent of either three or 10 meals, for every purchase.

Get your customers involved

Finally, it’s important to get your customers involved in giving. On Sept. 7, I’m traveling to Kansas City, Missouri, where 60-plus brand ambassadors will hold a volunteer event for Harvesters - The Community Food Network.

National volunteerism rates are declining, so it’s important for us to contribute in communities where our customers live to support their efforts and to support food banks that are vital for our mission.

If you’d like to get involved but think that it doesn’t matter for business, consider that about 70% of customers want to know a business’s social responsibility efforts and 46% let it decide their purchases. 

Lead with your heart. Once you see the difference you can make, you’ll be glad you did.

Editor’s note: Elizabeth Woods is director of philanthropy at Scottsdale-based Plexus Worldwide. Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at AzOpinions@iniusa.org.