Socially Conscious Brands Support Charity toward World Issues

Every year, more and more companies are becoming socially conscious. We live in a world that is by no means perfect. All around the globe, countries experience the same problems such as pollution, poverty and other threatening issues. A new trend that is catching on with many brands is companies are now devoting a small amount of their profits to help solve these issues with our world. A socially conscious company supports a charity or certain causes when a customer purchases a product. For example, a clothing company may have an ad that states when you buy certain clothing from them they donate a piece of clothing to charity.

Socially conscious brands don’t only donate to charity; they do things that help the environment and their employees. This new trend has become very big with popular companies such as TD Bank, who has a new policy that states that the company will now invest in source products and services that protect human rights, ethics and the environment. Ford Motor Company has set a goal to lower CO2 emissions by 30 percent. In 2012, technology giant, Google, donated $144,606,000 to charities all around the country.

Sophomore Tom Wlazlowski said, “Being socially conscious is great because it makes the company contribute to charity.”

In 2012, Apple decided to be more charitable because Steve Jobs believed that their devices were charitable enough for the public, but after his death at the end of 2011, they were able to change their ways.

Being socially conscious is actually known to benefit companies. When a company is being socially conscious, they sometimes advertise it and it can sometimes convince consumers to buy their wares. For example, if a company markets that their products are environmentally friendly, this could bring in business from people who want to keep the environment safe.

Tracy Harrsch, a senior, said, “I would buy products that give back to charities because it is an incentive to do a good thing.”

Being socially conscious is starting to help companies in the long run. The government has made tax cuts to companies that give back, so more companies will think about participating in the trend. Companies that are environmentally friendly are sometimes offered tax exemptions as well. Toms gives a pair of shoes to charity every time a customer buys a pair, and now they are an incredibly profitable shoe company. Honest Tea donates two cents to charity every time a bottle is bought, which has increased sales for them.

Senior Rob D’Argenio said, “It’s good that some companies give back to charity, but it is a shame that not all companies are that generous.”

There are still plenty of companies out there that believe being socially responsible is going to lower their profits. Brands that are not socially conscious usually make enough money where they think that contributing to charity may take away too much of their profits. Being a socially conscious brand is a decision that will always divide companies and it is unlikely that we will ever live in a world where every brand decides to be socially conscious.   

mseyler@ramapo.edu