Rafael Nunez Aponte: Learn How to Measure Corporate Social Responsibility

B Corp

There are some applications that measure the corporate social responsibility of companies. Some websites crowdsource opinions and facts on companies, while other sites use their own set of metrics to estimate social good. We show you below the tools that stand out among the rest, along with two issue-specific resources that can assist you with purchasing decisions:

B Corp

This tool created a ratings system in 2009 to measure the social and environmental impact of small to medium-sized companies. B Corp helps investors and consumers tell the difference between socially responsible companies and companies with great marketing. Certified B Corporations maintain an in-depth legal structure that expands corporate accountability so they are required to make decisions that are good for society, not just their shareholders, according to the non-profit's website.

JustMeans Insights

JustMeans Insights

JustMeans Insights helps investors, the media, practitioners and consumers measure a company's CSR, environmental impact and sustainability performance against its competitors. This toll provides the data visualization tools to compare these companies. They study the number of standards, dig through thousands of historical reports, and then pull all of that into a data visualization tool normalized to financials, employees, etc. The result is that anyone can then compare companies across industries, sectors, geographies along the same normalized metrics.

In addition to these applications, here are two issue-specific tools that can help you make purchasing decisions.

Eat Well Guide: the Eat Well Guide is an online directory of fresh, local, and sustainable food in the U.S. and Canada including farmers' markets, restaurants, grocery stores, family farms and more.

Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch: the MBAq sustainable seafood guide lists the most ocean-friendly seafood options by assessing fish populations in conjunction with fishing and fish-farming methods. You can use their online search tool, downloadable pocket guides, or mobile apps.

CSR

What do You Know about Social Commitment?

Is there any information about Social Responsibility you do not know today? This topic is more important than you may think and it is present in almost every committed company or individual with a deep sense and interest on social issues and needs.  

Social responsibility is an ethical framework which suggests that an entity - an organization or individual - has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to perform to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems.

Social Responsibility

This responsibility can be:

·         Passive: by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts

·         Active: by performing activities that directly advance social goals.

Business and companies. Businesses can use ethical decision making to secure their businesses by making decisions that allow for government agencies to minimize their involvement with the corporation. Equally, for example, if a company follows the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for emissions on dangerous pollutants and even goes an extra step to get involved in the community and address those concerns that the public might have, they would be less likely to have the EPA investigate them for environmental concerns.

CSR

Social responsibility as a non-binding, or soft law principle has received some normative status in relation to private and public corporations in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights developed by the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee particularly in relation to child and maternal welfare. The International Organization for Standardization will encourage voluntary commitment to social responsibility and will lead to common guidance on concepts, definitions and methods of evaluation. The standard describes itself as a guide for dialogue and language, not a constraining or certifiable management standard.

Rafael Nunez Aponte: Know These 3 Social Responsibility Campaigns

Social Responsibility is about giving back to the communities that keep your business in a good position, maybe even ones beyond your reach. Having a social commitment and good culture allow employees know they are working for something that good and with a high impact. Business becomes something far from dimensional and, more importantly, it cares about people. People want to do things that matter; companies that encourage employees to participate in volunteerism and giving back all efforts are creating fulfilling environments to work in.

Let’s see some of the best companies that have great campaigns on Social Responsibility.

One for One

1. Toms “One for one” motto is a very popular phrase. They have recently upped the ante by donating a part of their sunglass sales to vision care for children in need. However, this is not just consumers that are involved in this social action for good, there are also employees involved. Toms’ employees participate in an annual Shoe Drop where they travel and donate a variety of goods to children. Their careers page specifically calls for employees that want to change lives and be a part of a movement.

Social Responsibility

2. IBM truly believes in corporate citizenship. Their social good projects extend across issues and needs of the society. Employees volunteer in environmental efforts, community economic development, education, health, literacy, language and culture. Their volunteer initiative goes all year long; it is called the “Celebration of Service,” logged over 3,000,000 hours of service. IBM has also established “On Demand Community” enabling employees and retirees to find volunteer opportunities, through trainings and placement.

PG&E Earth Day

      3. PG&E works very well serving the communities of California. On Earth Day employees help clean and restore 18 state parks. They are members of Habitat for Humanity and volunteer by providing solar panels on new Habitat homes. Employee volunteerism hits inside the home as well by participating in various food programs providing those struggling to make ends meet with care packages and thousands of pounds of groceries.

Charity through 3 Campaigns in Social Media

Social Media can definitely be used for charity. The list below represents the campaigns that not only generated huge publicity for their respective causes, but were also highly creative and made effective use of tools such as stunts, social media tactics and viral videos.

1.      “I like it on…”

Breast Cancer Campaign 

In 2009, Breast Cancer Awareness launched their purely Facebook-based campaign where girls were invited to post the color of their bra as a Facebook status while confusing their male friends who were kept in the dark about what these colors meant. As the campaign was a huge success and gained coverage not only all over the world, but also in print media, Breast Cancer decided to repeat the success with another campaign the following year.

2.      UNICEF on Youtube

Swedish UNICEF ran a campaign to highlight that likes on Facebook were not enough to help them save children’s lives. To do this, they created four YouTube videos, including one of a child saying ironically that he feels hopeful because of the amount of likes UNICEF’s Facebook page has achieved.

Each video ended with the powerful message that likes cannot fund vaccinations. The videos were viewed more than750,000 times across 195 countries, and led to more than 10,500 tweets during the campaign period.

3.      Marriage Equality

Marriage equality

The Human Rights Campaign changed their logo to an equal sign last year as a vote was taking place in the Supreme Court over marriage equality.

The image of the equal sign on red background went viral as thousands of people all over Facebook changed their profile pictures to also show their support. The support of the campaign was so visible that it would have been impossible for ministers to ignore it.

Rafael Nunez Aponte: Protecting Animal’s Lives in Three Campaigns

According to the Humane Society of the United States six to eight million animals enter shelters in the U.S. each year with only three to four million adopted. Thousands of circuses use them under terrible and illegal conditions around the world. Many of our important environments in the Planet are being negatively affected by the extinction of several animal species every year. Are we doing something for them?

These three campaigns, however, stand out as the most creative and genius ways to find happy homes and possible future life for the thousands of animals in need, defend the lives of these beautiful species and promote their rights.

1.      The Shelter Pet Project

The Shelter Project

The Shelter Pet Project is the collaborative campaign between the Humane Society of the United States, Maddie’s Fund and the leading producer of public service advertisements, The Ad Council. The goal of this campaign is to make adopting a pet the first thing people think to do when they decide to bring an animal to their home. The Shelter Pet Project website allows people to easily search for shelters and adoptable pets in their area while learning about the plight of homeless animals.

2.      Animals are not clowns

Animals are not clowns

These advertisements illustrate to the viewer the cruelty behind circuses by placing them on an animal’s point of view and using elements such as tone, mood, and word-phrasing to discourage indifference against the suffering of animals.

3.      Horrifying vs. More Horrifying

Horrifying vs. More Horrifying

The mission of the World Wildlife Fund is to conserve the earth’s biodiversity by protecting its species and their habitats. By emphasizing that, all of earth’s organisms form a complex, interconnected web of habitats that provide its life support system, the campaign communicates that mankind cannot survive without a healthy, sustainable ecosystem.

The approach highlights the threat by taking something perceived as threatening and highlighting how much more threatening it would be if it did not exist. With three simple words and images it captures the essence of the danger.

Corporate Social Responsibility of Forever 21

CSR of Forever 21

Corporate Social Responsibility came into use in the early 1970’s after many corporations were formed. Corporate Social responsibly is a form of self-regulation performed by corporations. Most, if not all corporations, have a CSR program developed into their business model.

CSR programs are designed to ensure active compliances with the law, ethical standards and international norms, as well as the environment demands regarding energy and sustainability. The overall goal of a CSR program is to accept responsibility for any actions in which the company may take part in.

Just as a consumer has choices, at Forever 21, they take the business choices seriously, including in the way they obtain the products they sell. At Forever 21, they strive to have a positive impact not only within stores and corporate family, but also upon hundreds of vendor manufacturing facilities throughout the world.

For Forever 21 these choices as part of a work in progress and that there is always more to do:

·         Supplier and Vendor Social Compliance and Ethical Sourcing

Forever 21

Forever 21 wants all of its employees also to work in safe and healthy environments and to provide products to the consumer, which are made by such employees.

Therefore, its Corporate Social Responsibility program includes the Forever 21 Vendor Audit Program. While many of its vendors have worked with Forever 21 for a number of years and are trusted, all suppliers and vendors must provide factory contact information and all factories must participate in the audit program.

Rafael Eladio Nunez Aponte: Basic Approaches of Toyota for a Green World

Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japanese automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota, Aichi, Japan. In March 2014 the multinational corporation consisted of 338,875 employees worldwide.

A Green Planet

Since its foundation, Toyota has been using its Guiding Principles to produce reliable vehicles and sustainable development of society by employing innovative and high quality products and services.

The Sixth Toyota Environmental Action Plan

Toyota

In formulating the plan, Toyota categorized the environmental activities according to the three priority themes of the Fifth Plan:This plan includes the activities to be implemented in FY2016–2020 in order to meet the six challenges in the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 are outlined in the Sixth Toyota Environmental Action Plan.

• Contribution to a low-carbon society,
• contribution to a recycling-based society,
• and environmental protection and contribution to a harmony with nature society.

Basic Approach to a Low Carbon Society

Improvement of the society

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its latest Fifth Assessment Report in installments between September 2013 and April 2014, covering scientific assessments, climate change-related impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, and measures to mitigate climate change.

Toyota is taking action to reduce further global warming as a top priority management issue, and is working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at all stages of the vehicle lifecycle, including development, design, production, logistics, and sales, as well as in all of Toyota’s business areas.