SCS Global Services (SCS) has achieved a new milestone, crossing the 125 million metric tons CO2e mark for carbon offsets verified. This achievement reflects greenhouse gas (GHG) offset projects evaluated over nearly 10 years by SCS, including projects focused on forests and land-use, agriculture, renewable energy, ozone depleting substances (ODS), and more.
Delivering on brand relevance also requires welcoming more and different voices to the table, using our collective wisdom to solve problems together and rallying consumers and employees to take action with us as brands. When net trust in global corporations is less than zero, it is understandable that brands may feel overwhelmed and afraid to go it alone. That is why thoughtful partnerships can empower brands to tackle meaningful issues without feeling like they are straining credibility or speaking out of turn.
More than ever before, consumers want brands to put a stake in the ground. It is not simply about reacting to today’s news cycle, but rather knowing where you stand and standing strong when issues arise.
As traditional corporate philanthropy efforts have ceased to capture the love and loyalty of consumers, it is time to rethink old models of CSR and consider how your brand’s purpose can translate to more meaningful and culturally relevant efforts that excite and engage consumers.
The new opportunity for brands is not only marketing incremental product benefits, but embodying a higher purpose that serves your consumers’ aspirations for a good life by directly addressing the barriers to it.
As capitalism shifts to unite profits and purpose, most brands know how to design a great product or a reliable service. Yet many struggle when their company’s deeper mission has become muddy or even irrelevant. Brand purpose lives at the intersection of a company’s authentic reason for being and the unmet human needs that it can uniquely fulfill in the marketplace and the world. Revealing this harmonic is the key to defining your north star.
To stay relevant in a world of limited resources and mounting concerns, brands cannot simply show up and sell more stuff. Like never before, consumers expect brands to make their lives better. Doing so means understanding consumers’ struggles, needs and aspirations and addressing the issues that matter to them in meaningful ways.
A fundamental design principle in divided times is to start with empathy and listen to what people are feeling and what they desire for their lives. Empathy is fundamentally about respect. When was the last time you truly listened? When people feel ignored, or when their basic human needs are not being met, it is time for brands to start listening.
During 2017, we have seen many brands stepping into divisive conversations sharing different perspectives, spreading inclusivity and attempting to offset unkindness. Acknowledging the divisiveness that our nation faced this year, KIND has launched a storytelling campaign to counter the negativity and unite the country despite opposing opinions we all may have.
Our social responsibility efforts focus on our employees, customers and our local communities. We engage with customers to create relevant and innovative products. Across our operations, we focus on the safety, well-being and expertise of our employees, and we routinely work to connect and contribute in our local communities.
During the holiday season thoughts often turn to gift giving, decorations and holiday treats. But it’s also a time to think of others, and those who have less. Even in our nation of plenty, 1 in 6 children in the United States struggle with hunger.
The good news is that here at Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign, we know that childhood hunger is a solvable problem. Together with partners like Nestlé, we can ensure more kids are getting the nutritious food they need each day.
Last week, Aflac Chief Brand and Communications Officer Catherine Blades, and Reputation Institution Chief Research Officer Stephen Hahn Griffiths, discussed the findings of Aflac’s 2017 Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility with 31 television and radio stations across the country. This annual, scientific survey collects the thoughts and expectations of 1,000 consumers and investors regarding business ethics and responsibility.
Every year, as part of its long commitment to support our nation’s military communities, Walmart helps Wreaths Across America (WAA) recognize the sacrifices of our nation’s veterans and their families through wreath laying ceremonies around the nation. Coordinated and led by local volunteers, this annual event seeks to further the WAA’s mission — Remember, Honor, Teach — ensuring that the memory of those who served our country endures.
