A Scoop In The Right Direction
It’s been a stressful week at school, and I need some ice cream. I open my freezer and pull out Ben and Jerry’s Half-Baked Ice Cream. No need to get a bowl; it’s nearly half empty so I use a spoon. With each spoonful, I taste the fairly traded ingredients, the absence of GMOs, the strict environmental standards, and the protest for social change–well, not literally. These ingredients are part of Ben and Jerry’s mission to practice corporate social responsibility (CSR). Ben and Jerry’s is not the only company that challenges the purpose of a business.
Years ago, Milton Friedman wrote an article for The New York Times titled “The Social Responsibility of Business Is To Increase Its Profits.” Many still agree with Friedman that the goal of a business is to make money, not to save the world. However, CSR does not disrupt the business model. For example, Patagonia simultaneously sells outdoor clothing and gear and invests in environmental issues. It is likely that Patagonia is more profitable because they unite behind a social cause increasing trust among employees and customers.
Critics of CSR argue that investing in social causes is strictly strategic advertising. Social good marketing attracts consumers by appealing to their emotions. If these businesses stay true to their word and support their chosen cause, does it matter if CSR is used as an advertising stunt? Some critics go as far as to say that CSR desensitizes people to the world’s problems: if individuals believe there are companies making a difference, then why should an individual feel inclined to act on their own? Even if this is the case for some, it is still better for customers to choose socially responsible companies. We want consumers buying consciously.
Furthermore, it is not all for show. Ben and Jerry’s, a co-founder of Businesses for Social Responsibility, donated $2 million to charities in 2009; Tom’s Shoes gifted more than 400,000 pairs of shoes to developing countries in four years; and The Body Shop acquired four million signatures for a petition against animal testing. These businesses aren’t going to solve the world’s problems on their own, but there’s no harm in trying.
There’s a reason CEOs are investing money in CSR: it’s a win-win. They establish a trusted and profitable business and make a difference in the world. CSR is becoming the new norm, and millennials, in particular, expect the businesses they purchase products from to support a cause. We need to move away from the traditional idea that businesses exist solely for profit in order to be sustainable, and CSR is a scoop in the right direction.
Honorable Mention for NYTimes Student Editorial Contest 2017.
