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Leadership Guides & Advice for Being a Better Small Business Owner

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Want to be a better leader, boss, and small business owner? Check out Fundera's collection of the top leadership advice guides for entrepreneurs.

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Companies are no longer content to do well. Today, many businesses also make it their mission to do good.

At Classy, we believe that a company will find its greatest success by marrying purpose and profit. As a Certified B Corporation, we strive to hold ourselves to the highest standard of social and environmental performance for business, motivate other companies to do the same, and celebrate those who are working to create positive social change.

Social responsibility, beyond driving a social movement and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy, also benefits companies in their recruiting and consumer marketing efforts. The 2019 Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility Survey found that 77% of consumers surveyed are "motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world better," and 49% of Americans say it is more important for a company to "make the world a better place" than "make money for its shareholders." From B Corps to companies with robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, for-profit organizations are increasingly motivated to align with relevant causes and social good programs.

It's important to recognize socially responsible companies, both to encourage their work and to show other organizations how they can successfully incorporate social good into their mission. Use these nine companies as inspiration to strive for a higher standard and partner with companies who care.

Really, claiming the number one spot? We know how it looks, but here at Classy we hold ourselves to the highest standard and feel grateful for the work we've been able to accomplish since our start in 2011. We support nonprofits and the social sector at large with our online fundraising tools to accelerate social impact around the world. Partnering with over 6,000 nonprofit organizations, Classy has powered tens of millions of donations from over 190 countries, raising over $2 billion in the process.

As a Certified B Corporation, we prioritize our stakeholder promise to empower nonprofits by offering an exceptional giving experience without sacrificing an inclusive work environment or a sustainable future in the process. This philosophy has led to programs like the

At Classy, we believe that a company will find its greatest success by marrying purpose and profit. As a Certified B Corporation, we strive to hold ourselves to the highest standard of social and environmental performance for business, motivate other companies to do the same, and celebrate those who are working to create positive social change.

Social responsibility, beyond driving a social movement and building a more inclusive and sustainable economy, also benefits companies in their recruiting and consumer marketing efforts. The 2019 Aflac Corporate Social Responsibility Survey found that 77% of consumers surveyed are "motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world better," and 49% of Americans say it is more important for a company to "make the world a better place" than "make money for its shareholders." From B Corps to companies with robust corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, for-profit organizations are increasingly motivated to align with relevant causes and social good programs.

It's important to recognize socially responsible companies, both to encourage their work and to show other organizations how they can successfully incorporate social good into their mission. Use these nine companies as inspiration to strive for a higher standard and partner with companies who care.

2. Dr. Bronner's

Certified as a B Corporation since 2015, Dr. Bronner's holds its manufacturing standards to the highest level. Now the top-selling brand of organic and fair trade body care in the U.S., this family-owned and run company has risen through the ranks by making socially and environmentally responsible products of the highest quality, while dedicating its profits to building, promoting, and advancing positive social change.

Dr. Bronner's is the leading pioneer of USDA certified organic personal care products, guiding the social responsibility efforts within their industry. Their exemplary societal and environmental impact has landed them in the top 10% of Certified Corps across all impact areas, proving that their strategy can lead the way for other companies wanting to join the movement.

To ensure fair and just treatment of farmers and workers across the world, Dr. Bronner's continues to offer education initiatives and create fair trade projects to support their mission. Along with their own implementation of regenerative organic agriculture, they also educate their farming partners in the implementation of carbon-sequestering farming practices.

In addition, all of their products are free from synthetic preservatives, petrochemicals, synthetic foaming agents or thickeners, are packaged in 100% recyclable materials, and never tested on animals. Each product is 100% biodegradable, and 33% of all profits go to social and ecological projects.

In 2007, Google became the first major company to reach carbon neutrality. Ten years later, the company also achieved its 100% renewable energy target, and is now the largest corporate renewable energy purchaser on the planet.

As if that wasn't enough to earn a spot at the top of the corporate social responsibility totem pole, the company is now aiming to operate solely on carbon-free energy by 2030. Their goal is to not only pursue new carbon-free technologies, but to also demonstrate that a fully decarbonized future is possible for everyone.

From facilitating green commuting, to employee gift matching, to paid time off for volunteering, Google inspects nearly every part of their business with a social impact lens.

4. Ben & Jerry's

Ice cream tastes just a little sweeter when you know the makers work to promote safe, socially responsible ingredients and business practices. Since the 1980s, Ben & Jerry's has supported a number of important causes, many of which are directly tied to the business of making ice cream.

In 1989, they first opposed Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone use in cows, in part due to "its adverse economic impact on family farming." They have also used their packaging to support the family farm organization, Farm Aid. The company even created the Ben & Jerry's Foundation, which encourages their employees to give back to their communities and offers grants for social justice programs.

In addition, their commitment to fairtrade motivated the company to become the first ice cream maker in the world to use Fairtrade Certified ingredients. This decision aligns with their values to use environmentally friendly farming practices, implement fair labor standards, and invest in their community. Ben & Jerry's impact is then further amplified by the Fairtrade social premium, an additional amount of money paid on top of the fair price that farmers receive.

The LEGO Group is one of the most notable examples of how social responsibility can be an incredible asset to a well-known brand. Their dedication to social impact is somewhat recent (a 2014 Greenpeace video put pressure on the toymaker to end their 50-year partnership with Shell Global due to their plans to drill in the Arctic), but the extent of their commitment has made the Danish company a shining example of the far-reaching impact of CSR.

In September of 2020, the LEGO Group announced that they were set to invest $400 million over the next three years to support their social responsibility and sustainability efforts. With the long-term goal to be carbon neutral by 2022 and make all packaging sustainable by the end of 2025, they are going to start by phasing out single use plastic bags and installing additional solar panels on all factories.

The company's Sustainable Materials Programme will continue to advance as well, with a focus on expanding its use of bio-bricks. Research into new, more sustainable plastics from renewable and recycled sources is a priority, in addition to partnering with other leaders in the industry to find durable, high-quality materials that keep the environment front of mind.

By 2022, the LEGO Group is also aiming to reach eight million children around the world annually with learning through play. In collaboration with the LEGO Foundation, UNICEF, Save the Children, and local partners, the team is working to scale up programs that give children the opportunity to develop life-long skills.

6. Levi Strauss

Are your jeans contributing to water scarcity? Most of us probably don't think about this when shopping, but it's an important question for Levi Strauss. In recent years, the company has committed to reducing the amount of water used in production of their jeans, a product they have been making since 1873.

The company created the first product tag in 2009, Care Tag for Our Planet, which offers tips on how to best preserve your clothing and where to donate them once you're done with them. Levi Strauss works alongside Cotton Inc.'s Blue Jeans Go Green to collect used clothing, and also sells pre-owned or restored vintage clothing items to reduce their carbon footprint.

To further elevate their efforts, all owned-and-operated U.S. and Canadian retail locations, along with all U.S. wholesale locations, now use 100% post-consumer waste stock for their print materials. All new mannequins are made from 100% recycled base stock, and the company is currently working on a recycled denim coat hanger.

7. Warby Parker

For people in the developed world, the need for a new pair of glasses is a chance to accessorize, but it can also be a chore to find the right ones. Warby Parker helps simplify the task by sending customers five different frames of their choice to try on before making a decision. But knowing that for many people a functional pair of glasses can be life-changing, the B Corp also works to provide glasses for those in need.

Through their Buy-A-Pair, Give-A-Pair program, Warby Parker makes a monthly donation to their nonprofit partners, such as VisionSpring, to bring prescription eyewear to people in developing countries. The company has distributed more than eight million pairs of glasses since its start in 2010. As of April 1, 2020, a portion of purchases will additionally go toward personal protective equipment and preventative health supplies for healthcare workers and communities in need.

8. Microsoft

Microsoft changed the way the world works, studies, and plays with their computers and software. But their ambitions go far beyond the screen. The company, founded by Bill Gates who now devotes his time to philanthropy, began its giving program in 1983 when the fledgling company raised $17,000 for charity. As their CSR web page explains, Microsoft's giving program has not only given time (employees in the U.S. volunteered more than 750,000 hours for nonprofits in 2020 alone), but also cash. In fiscal year 2020, the program raised over $221 million for nonprofits.

The software giant also created Microsoft Philanthropies, a social good initiative that works with nonprofits, governments, and businesses to create "a future where every person has the skills, knowledge, and opportunity to achieve more." Initiatives cover everything from providing computer education, offering grants to nonprofits, and forming partnerships with organizations around the world.

As the world's only Certified B Corporation insurance company, Lemonade serves to rebuild insurance as a social good. To support their mission, the team launched the Lemonade Giveback.

When you purchase a Lemonade policy, you're asked to additionally select a nonprofit you care about. Once a year, Lemonade tallies up the unclaimed money left from your renters insurance premium and donates it to the nonprofit of your choice. In 2020, they gave over $1.1 million to charities including ACLU, March For Our Lives, and The Trevor Project.

The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility

More and more companies are not only adopting causes and social good initiatives, but also building them into the framework of their businesses. These organizations show how far-reaching and varied corporate social responsibility programs can be.

Any business can prioritize social impact, whether it's donating your product to those in need, fundraising for a worthy cause, or starting your own foundation. Along with the good it does for your community, it also benefits your brand and attracts customers and talented employees.

Perhaps the simplest way to take a philanthropic step is to sponsor a local nonprofit organization. Corporate sponsorships between nonprofits and for-profit businesses can take many forms, so download The Nonprofit's Guide to Pitching to Corporate Sponsors to learn where to get started.

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9 Socially Responsible Companies to Applaud

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Companies are no longer content to do well. Today, many businesses also make it their mission to do good. At Classy, we believe that a company will find its greatest success by marrying purpose and profit.

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CSR and Sustainability within companies and nonprofits : e-CSR.net

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Global CR RepTrak 100 is a global survey that rates multinational companies while accounting for their corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputation. During January and February 2019, the study collected the opinion of 230,000 people from the general public across the 15 biggest economies. What are the companies with the best CSR reputation? Let's take a look.
Building A Company's Reputation And The Importance Of CSR

Market share, sales volume, license to operate, loyalty and profitability are all organizational performance metrics influenced by people's intents of purchasing, accepting, advocating for or investing in a brand. This intent is built on the perception people get from companies in dimensions such as:

Product. They have good quality products that meet needs.

Governance practices. They are open, transparent and ethical.

Workplace practices. Equal opportunities are given among employees and they are rewarded fairly.

Social responsibility. Social and environmental causes are supported.

Leadership. They have bold leaders with a clear mission and vision of how to get there.

The public judgment of these attributes is the result (often unconscious) of paid, earned and owned media which people see every day. Sometimes it is a tweet, tv ad, or billboard that helps us assess whether a brand meets our values or not. People also use the power of digital to scrutinize these aspects of a company and to clear out their expectations.

Apart from RepTrak's results, another recent study from Unilever says consumers are buying what brands advocate for and not just what they are selling. Studies show people are increasingly concerned about sustainability and want companies to be more transparent. Therefore, it's vital that companies develop their corporate responsibility strategies (CSR) and communicate them throughout the most indicated channels. As the Rep Institute says, to avoid risk, companies must know how to proactively manage reputation, deliver on stakeholder expectations, and mitigate against risk by delivering on reputation assurances.

The Top 10 Companies With The Best CSR Reputation

Meet the top 10 companies best prepared to mitigate reputational risk and failure. These are companies that proactively managed their reputation and delivered the messages their stakeholders were looking for via the right communication channels. By having done so, they can now enjoy the trust of their investors, employees or customers and they are seen as caring about many other issues apart from profit - like ethics, innovation, environmental causes or well-being at the workplace.

Let's take a closer look at the three companies with the best reputation and analyze two other relevant brands that come up in the top 10.

#1 Rolex. Companies With The Best CSR Reputation

Rolex has been one of the top 10 most reputable companies in the world for four consecutive years. The brand has a unique ability to connect its products to the company and trigger emotions to its stakeholders by anchoring its values in high-profile personalities. For instance, Roger Federer is an unquestionable symbol of excellence (Rolex has a great score regarding product quality) and resilience. At the same time, the marine biologist Sylvia Earle is exploring the ocean and protecting ecosystems (Rolex also has a large score on the environmental protection area).

Companies With The Best CSR Reputation

The Lego Group is on the top 10 list of the most reputable companies in the world for the third year in a row. The Danish brand already has a steady and strong presence as it builds a coherent story-line with its values of sustainability, education and societal contributions. Most recently, they replaced their plastic materials with plant-based plastics from sugarcane; one more way the company has pushed their CSR values.

Companies With The Best CSR Reputation

The Walt Disney Company swopped places with The Lego Group since the 2018 ranking. According to RepTrak, Disney scores higher in the areas of leadership and financial performance. Furthermore, this is an iconic, caring company that has enjoyed an emotional connection with the public for many generations. Taking a closer look at Disney's own CSR report, we can see it is consistent, well organized, and connects to the global reporting initiative (GRI) framework too.

#5 Microsoft And The Hard Time For The Tech Industry

The recent scandals on data privacy and transparency have made many tech industry players, like Google or Facebook, drop in the reputation rankings. However, Microsoft resisted and sits #5 in the global ranking. By being transparent regarding product updates and bugs, the American company improved its reputation of empowering every person and every organization on the planet to do more - the company's mission. Increasing the connection of its products and services with the company's purpose and ethics, as well as selling products at more competitive prices, all helped the company receive this score.

Companies With The Best CSR Reputation

Hello Netflix, welcome to the top 10 ranking for the first time after being #24 last year. Throughout 2018 Netflix kept positive conversations focused on the business expansion and subscriber increase. This way, they developed an image of innovation. Their leadership started to be seen as a positive disruptor among the main media and film industries. By removing Kevin Spacey from House of Cards, one of Netflix's top shows, they sent a clear message about the company's priorities. They said no to the possibility of sexual harassment, no matter the costs. In the end, despite the (likely) money loses, the company seems to have gotten stronger in terms of ethics.

The Top 100 Companies With The Best CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Reputation

By looking at the ranking above, we can see that Google fell to 14th place, and Nestlé went from 38th place in 2018 to 71st this year. The highest fall was from Nissan, which isn't even in the top 100, going from the 20th position to number 115. On the other hand, Estée Lauder Companies have been climbing and improving their reputation, presence, and relevance. Carlsberg has also jumped 18 places. The company announced its commitment to carbon neutrality and water consumption reduction. Moreover, the strategy of sending messages associated with the Danish happy, work-life balanced and natural lifestyle, seems to be paying off.

This ranking brings together the companies that did the best job communicating their strategy and values. They sent the right message to the right people via the right communication channel but this doesn't necessarily mean they are better, more responsible or more valuable than others. In fact, this ranking mirrors citizens public perceptions. So the companies scoring higher succeeded in communicating effectively their CSR strategies, even if they don't have the most effective strategies in the world.

In the end, this ranking is another confirmation that CSR is an indirect synonym of corporate reputation as people are increasingly expecting brands to be more responsible, transparent, ethical and to care about society and the environment. So companies that haven't started looking for their higher purpose, as Raj Sisodia from the Conscious Capitalism movement would put it, need to start doing it as soon as possible. The companies already doing it need to make sure they reach their audience. In a world with an overabundance of flowing information, reaching everyone might impossible - but reaching the right people surely isn't.
Image credits to corporate reputation on Shutterstock

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What Are The 100 Companies With The Best Reputation On Corporate Responsibility?

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Global CR RepTrak 100 is a global survey that rates multinational companies while accounting for their corporate social responsibility (CSR) reputation. During January and February 2019, the study collected the opinion of 230,000 people from the general public across the 15 biggest economies. What are the companies with the best CSR reputation?

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Corporate Social Responsibility CSR Concepts and ideas related to CSR and their practical application in the workplace (Focus is on class material) BRAINSTORM ELEMENTS The focus of this CSR concept map is based on concepts developed in class with some insight from readings and real life examples Elements of CSR What is CSR?

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Open the web page

Find the box with the relevant heading below

Read and post notes about the key points

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Should Corporations Have Social Responsibilities? The Arguments Against

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This is "Should Corporations Have Social Responsibilities? The Arguments Against", section 13.4 from the book For details on it (including licensing), Business Ethics (v. 1.0). click here.

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In your groups go to page 3 of your booklets.

Look at 1. Business & the environment

Discuss the questions in your groups and post the answers on this padlet page.

Look at 2. The worst dangers

In your groups, write a short explanation/ definition for each of the things in the list. Use your own words. Post to this padlet page (a new box)

Go to the blog (link below) do the quiz, find out what the arguments are, make notes

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What are the arguments for and against corporate social responsibility?

How important is it? What other examples are there?

Find out more about corporate social responsibility in the next video...

The Guardian asks if companies profit by doing good, why aren't they all doing it?

So what make's Ben and Jerry's such a socially responsible company?

You should watch the documentary The Corporation, which goes into much more detail. It's very interesting and will help you with your research. We have a few copies of the DVD in the library.

Finally, check out this CSR case study about Coca Cola in India.

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What is Corporate Social Responsibility?

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What are the arguments for and against corporate social responsibility? How important is it? What other examples are there? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoE8XlcDUI8 Find out more about corporate social responsibility in the next video... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0NkGtNU_9w The Guardian asks if companies profit by doing good, why aren't they all doing it?

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1. The only corporate responsibility is to increase profits.

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1. The only corporate responsibility is to increase profits.

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2. Businesses can't have social responsibilities.

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2. Businesses can't have social responsibilities.

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3. Corporate executives are responsible only to shareholders.

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3. Corporate executives are responsible only to shareholders.

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4. The right institution for managing social problems is Government.

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4. The right institution for managing social problems is Government.

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5. Society won't be served by corporate social responsibility.

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5. Society won't be served by corporate social responsibility.

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6. The best way for corporations to be socially responsible is to increase profits.

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6. The best way for corporations to be socially responsible is to increase profits.