We talk a lot about social value – as we should because it’s very important. But what is corporate social responsibility (CSR)? It’s just as important, and contrary to what many people think, it’s not the same as social value.
The key difference between the two is that social value is contract-specific, while CSR initiatives relate to your entire business – your operations, products, services, values, employment policies, sustainability practices, and social, economic, and environmental activities.
CSR efforts are based on transparency, ethical behaviour, and sustainable development. They do wonders for local communities and boost suppliers’ standing with public sector buyers and the public itself.
We’re going to take a closer look at the UK’s corporate social responsibility requirements, including CSR’s role in sustainable B2G marketing strategies.
A Quick Squiz at Corporate Social Responsibility in General
Let’s have a squiz at CSR, so we’re all on the same page.
Corporate Social Responsibility is about a company’s impact on its local community, environment, and economy and how it increases its positive impact while reducing its carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. For example, addressing unemployment with apprenticeship programmes, banning single-use plastic packaging material, and switching to low-emission machinery.
Corporate social responsibility activities must align with your business goals. So, while an education-related service provider might want to collaborate with animal shelters on community education projects, it’d be more relevant to focus on something like education and training for teenage moms.
Relevance is crucial when demonstrating your positive impact on society because you need stakeholders to get on board and support your good work. They’re not going to invest time and money in community projects that have a web-thin connection to their interests.
CSR Legislation and Compliance
The UK government is taking steps to increase legislation in public procurement to make it fairer, greener, and more accountable to the taxpayers who fund it. It doesn’t happen all at once, however, which is why there’s still a fair amount of self-regulation involved.
Currently, buyers, suppliers, and marketers must all take their lead from:
- The Companies Act 2006 makes it mandatory for businesses to report on CSR activities, especially those that are environmental and employee-related.
- The British Standards Institute sets voluntary frameworks, giving companies leeway to develop CSR strategies that suit their needs.
- The International Standards Organisation (ISO) sets consistent quality standards globally, including CSR-related activities, like environmental systems management and occupational health and safety. ISO certifications aren’t mandatory, but they’re strongly recommended.
- The Social Value Act 2015 includes mandatory regulations for companies regarding their CSR activities.
- The Procurement Act 2023 requires compliance with social value and sustainability regulations.
- The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) sets standards for reporting environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities. They aren’t mandatory, but they help companies comply with transparency and accountability requirements in the Act.
CSR and the Supply Chain
You can have top performing CSR strategies up the wazoo but still come a cropper when attention turns to your supply chain.
It’s important to choose partners who share your values and sustainability goals. It’s easier to collaborate on initiatives and implement consistent CSR practices. Supply chain partners who share your values are likely to have partners who operate according to the same ethical business practices.
You must be able to trust your supply chain to maintain ethical standards and avoid any murky activities, like unfair labour practices or illegal waste disposal.
To keep everyone honest, it’s a good idea for UK businesses to develop assessment criteria for things like environmental impact, community engagement, and economic upliftment. When you’ve got data in black and white in front of you, it’s much easier to analyse the success of CSR efforts and make informed decisions regarding suppliers and their role in your CSR strategy.
With the basic foundation laid, let’s get to the point.
CSR in Public Sector Marketing
Dedication to corporate social responsibility can have a significant positive impact on a brand’s reputation, so it’s only natural for marketers to want to cash in on that goodwill and develop a marketing strategy that shows your company in the best possible light.
How Can CSR Influence Public Sector Marketing?
In addition to the boost it gives to a business’s reputation, CSR has many benefits for B2G marketers.
1) Stand out from the crowd.
Public procurement can be fiercely competitive, but successful CSR projects can give you a competitive edge over other suppliers in your field.
2) Public appeal.
People like companies that have a conscience and work to better the world rather than focus entirely on profit. They will pay more for products or services from an ethical brand with sustainable practices, provided its CSR credentials are authentic and not greenwashing.
3) Public engagement.
People like to be involved in their favourite brands’ social value initiatives. Donating money or items (food, clothes) is good, but they also want to get their hands dirty – figuratively and literally. So, you can invite them to help establish a new community garden or paint classrooms at the local school.
4) Increased sales.
Goodwill is nice. An engaged target audience is great. A healthier bottom line is outstanding. Authenticity, transparency, and accountability in sustainable business practices will turn leads into loyal customers.
5) Cause-related marketing
This is possibly one of the easiest ways to meet your CSR commitments because all you really have to do is collaborate with an existing cause – environmental, social, or economic. The organisation does all the hard work, all you do is provide support where needed, like employee volunteering in soup kitchens, or making your premises available for a fundraising event.
There is a catch, however; you must be sincere when you implement CSR efforts and make a tangible difference. You’ll be caught out if you only pay lip service to the cause and don’t actually walk the walk.
Getting CSR Marketing Right
There are many ways to implement CSR initiatives and embed social value into your procurement and operational activities.
Smart Panda Labs provides some examples of successful CSR marketing strategies from some of the top brands in the world. Here are two of the most impactful.
Bosch
Bosch is a well-known engineering company with a reputation for producing high-quality tools and appliances. It uses its website and social media channels to advertise its CSR initiatives. In one example, Bosch talks a bit about its sustainable innovations and products and then tells consumers that by using their tools they are living a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. It’s the kind of complimentary validation that makes consumers stick around.
Source: Instagram
Unilever
Unilever used video content marketing to advertise its commitment to sustainable business practices. Its impactful Farewell to the Forest campaign underlined the plight of rainforests in a time of profit-driven, unsustainable manufacturing that decimates natural resources. They follow this with their commitment to sustainability, with no impact on forests at all.
Source: Unilever via YouTube
Cadence Marketing Boosts Your Brand Through CSR Marketing
Cadence Marketing specialises in B2G marketing, helping you reach your target audience through a range of innovative and creative marketing techniques. We can boost your Corporate Social Responsibility marketing strategies using digital marketing channels, including email marketing – our speciality, thanks to our proprietary mailing system – and content marketing, webinars, live events, and targeted PR.
Contact us today and book a free consultation. Our experts will guide you through our processes so you can see for yourself how we’ll boost your brand.
