5 Reasons Why Your Startup Should Consider Social Responsibilty

The startup fever is finding its way to the global marketplace. But have you ever stopped to consider the perks of a business model that has social responsibility at its core? Here are 5 reasons why you should.

1. Motivated Work Ethic

Imagine a work-space where everyone in the hierarchy is driven, committed and actually shows up on sloppy Monday mornings! While these may seem like far-fetched ideals for a company’s workforce to pursue, there is nothing more sustaining than giving your employees an unending surge of job satisfaction! Just knowing that your everyday routine is directly causing a significant social/environmental change, can have a progressive impact on your approach and commitment to work. Add purpose and worth to your venture’s equation and you will be working with a team that is inherently motivated.

2. Giving Your Products A Deeper Story

In a timeline where the global marketplace is already packed with successful giants and their insurgent competitors, it makes it almost impossible for a startup to claim it’s own niche. While conventional business ventures strive to take on their competition with ‘bigger and better’, you will come to realise that when you add depth and meaning to the things you sell, you automatically give yourself a whole lot of leverage and an audience that is now very interested in your sales pitch. From curating eco-friendly consumables to having a huge part of your profits donated to charity, giving your products a deeper story can be a selling point like no other!

3. Stirring Up The Media Pot

While floating around in the “success” pool might seem like the only accessible vantage point to gather in some media attention, you’d be surprised at how much headway you can make by having genuine goodwill complement your pursuit for profit. When the ice cream giant Ben & Jerry’s decided to fund their community development projects with 7.5% of their pre-taxed profits, they set an unreal benchmark which left the corporate world reeling. Over the years their unique ice cream coupled with their philanthropic jive has definitely had the media buzzing for a while. When your company takes the path less traveled and indulges in social responsibility, you can be sure you’ll be heard out for what you do.

4. Empowering Your Consumers

The Customer of today isn’t your average, run off the mill, gullible soul, who’s willing to buy whatever he’s offered. Instead he’s evolved into a well read individual who’s quite aware of what he wants, where to get them and the best going price, with those massive discounts included! The e-commerce boom in particular has vested in him the powers of choice and convenience. That being said, while most of these consumers may seem really caught up with the big names, a whole majority of them are willing to go the extra mile to care with their wallets. A survey conducted by The Nielson Company showed that a whopping 55% of their global respondents were keen on making purchases that involved positive social and environmental impact! That’s a dramatic increase from previous statistical records and just goes to show that people are concerned about global issues and are eager to do their part in this cause to change. Don’t just satisfy your consumers, empower them!

5. Being An Agent Of Change

In this rat race to success, we often find ourselves scrambling between net annual profits and the next key marketing strategy, that we’re most often lacking in a vision of purpose. You may have worked your way right up to the top, but it would feel as futile as chasing the wind if you didn’t stop to help or cause change with what you’ve been given. While the corporate world reluctantly executes their CSR liabilities, as startups you have the power to choose to pursue a cause that you feel passionate about and actually do something about it. The deep contentment that comes from knowing that you’ve made a difference is simply relentless.

Dream Big. Strive hard. Go be that CHANGE!

____________

Sharing is caring so please share this post. Thank you!