11 Key Types of Corporate Social Responsibility

Here are 11 possible CSR initiatives which create societal value:

1) Local products
2) Greening the supply chain
3) Efficiency/Decreasing Waste/Sustainability (Using recycled goods). This one applies to the organization itself & how it designs its products.
4) Hiring minority & disadvantaged peoples
5) Nurturing customer communities (aka giving back)
6) Nurturing producer/supplier communities (aka giving back)
7) Nurturing their employees & their families (aka culture). Zappos is probably the best example off the top of my head.
8) Green Certified/Creating a Similar Certification/Creating an industry standard (around any of the above–so your actions have a real ripple)
9) Advocacy & Awareness around Social issues.
10) Good products versus bad ones. Well designed products versus poorly designed ones. (ie the later tend to end up on trash heaps).
11) Directly funding non-profits or projects that have a social good as the core end.

Its obviously a matter of how deep they go on each topic. To me #9 is just fundamental to ethical business. In addition, #7 seems pretty fundamental as well. Also, the level of commitment from a given organization can obviously effect how much impact is derived.

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