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In This Issue
Editor's Note
Social Media and Social Responsibility
It’s no stretch to say that social media has transformed society. And it’s no surprise that it’s also transforming social responsibility—especially when it comes to how companies engage with employees and their customers. Some businesses are even using social media forums to generate the wisdom of the crowd in solving sustainability challenges.
This week, in part one of our series on social media and corporate social responsibility (CSR), Communications Manager Eva Dienel profiles how three companies—Best Buy, Timberland, and Starbucks—are using social media in their social responsibility initiatives. Next week, we’ll offer 10 tips on using social media for CSR.
Next, we look at social media trends in China, where China Partnership Development Director Pei Bin writes about the business implications of the increasing number of Chinese citizens sharing opinions and organizing online.
And we highlight a survey on what kind of CSR information consumers would like to hear about from companies online.
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In Depth
Getting Social: How Companies are Using Social Media for Social Responsibility
By Eva Dienel, Associate Director, Communications, BSR
With more companies using social media to advance their social responsibility goals, read three case studies on how Best Buy is using a blog to promote transparency and ethics, how Timberland launched a branded website to encourage responsible consumer behavior, and how Starbucks ran an online contest to create winning solutions for reducing the number of disposable cups in its stores.
Read more →
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Spotlight
Is Social Media Changing Chinese Civil Society?
By
With more than 420 million internet users and more than 805 million mobile phone users in China, technology and social media are quietly transforming Chinese civil society as more people proactively share their opinions online. As my former colleague at the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Wang Zhenyao, put it: “There are two parties in China: One is the Chinese Communist Party, and the other is the Internet Party.” The free flow of information and greater freedom of expression is fundamentally shifting people’s mindsets, as evidenced by the recent wave of worker protests organized through chat rooms and mobile text messages. Middle class citizens concerned with social injustices are also joining these movements.
For business, this transformation has three key implications:
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The public is much more likely to learn about, discuss, and react to labor violations or environmental pollution cases as they happen.
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There's a greater potential for brand damage and consumer boycotts of products.
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Single-issue events that affect one company could damage the reputation of an entire industry due to a “spillover effect” sparked by online conversations.
To learn more about how social media is transforming China—and how this will impact business—contact Pei Bin.
Quick Hit
Consumers Searching for CSR in New Media
By Elissa Goldenberg, Associate, Advisory Services, BSR
According to Cone's "2009 Consumer New Media Study," 44 percent of 587 Americans surveyed are using new media channels to search for, share, or discuss information about corporate responsibility efforts. The survey also revealed that 62 percent of respondents believe they can influence business decisions by voicing their opinions through new media channels such as social networks, blogs, websites, and email. More importantly, new media efforts have inspired 30 percent of respondents to make a purchase based on positive information about a product, company, or brand. Conversely, 23 percent of respondents have either switched brands or boycotted a company based on negative information.
As the chart illustrates below, the majority of respondents also identified new media channels as a way to foster dialogue and deepen engagement with consumers and other stakeholders.
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Decisions about how we spend our money can affect our happiness, but only under the right conditions. Based on the emerging social science of "