Corporate social responsibility has become a hot topic in businesses’ plans for growth. According to HR Management magazine, four out of five companies worldwide are engaged in some kind of corporate social responsibility initiative. Being known as socially responsible allows a company to distinguish itself from competitors and strengthen its company brand in the eyes of the community. How can you improve your reputation by upholding your social responsibility?

What is social responsibility?
Social responsibility refers to how a company influences community growth and development in their local market. It promotes the public’s interest while using the company’s values and mission as a guide for its involvement in the community.

Social responsibility is an idea that can be used by businesses of any size, big or small. For example, Pepsi recently reallocated the $20 million it would have spent on advertising during the 2010 Super Bowl to give small organizations grants toward community initiatives. American Apparel, a mid-size clothing company known for designing and producing all their products in the U.S., structures their compensation so that factory workers earn significantly more than minimum wage. In doing so, American Apparel improves its community by keeping jobs in the U.S. and paying those workers above-average wages.

Social responsibility doesn’t just apply to large companies, though. Increasingly, smaller companies are becoming involved with social responsibility, within their own resources. For instance, restaurants in Seattle use local ingredients and organic products to help support their surrounding communities. Bakeries frequently donate unsold bread and other items to local food pantries at the end of the day. Regardless of size, any company can become involved in community efforts while locally promoting their brands.

What can you do?
Being socially responsible doesn’t have to be prohibitively costly. Here are some easy and inexpensive ways that any company can become more socially responsible.

• Promote your “going green” efforts. Many companies have begun environmentally-conscious initiatives to cut down waste in the workplace. Individually, these efforts are small, but collectively, they can have a large impact. You can promote the use of coffee mugs to cut down on paper or Styrofoam cups. In email signatures, a disclaimer telling people to “think before printing this email” can help prevent unnecessary paper waste. Reminding your employees to shut their computers down (instead of leaving them in a suspended mode) at night conserves electricity.
• Participate. Sponsor a local charity event like a walk or run that many of your employees already participate in. This will drive employee participation and spread the word about your company. You can also volunteer for a day of service with a charity, like Habitat for Humanity, and give everyone in the office the opportunity to participate.
• Help around the holidays. Champion an office toy or food drive in November and December when those items are needed most. Or donate to or volunteer at a food pantry in the fall – many organizations that distribute food to needy families say that their shelves are barest during the months of September through November.

Promoting Your Work
The effort your company and your employees put into your community shouldn’t go unnoticed. Although the first step in corporate responsibility is ensuring that your contributions are genuine, it’s important to let your current and prospective customers know what you do to support your community. This recognition can improve your reputation, but it can also drive awareness for the causes you support and inspire others in your community to give, too.

Use your efforts to strengthen your relationship with employees and recruits, as well. Offering incentives for workers who participate (such as an appreciation lunch, a casual dress day or a drawing for a day off) can drive interest and appreciation among employees. Consider creating t-shirts for a company volunteer day. And, when appropriate, encourage employees to invite their families or friends to participate in your volunteer activities. As more employees join the cause, you’ll see a larger effect on your community and a steeper increase in your corporate visibility.