The advantages for a company of being socially responsible - that is, taking positive actions for the benefit of its staff and society as a whole - include enhanced brand image, and greater ease in attracting staff. There are different ways for a company to show corporate social responsibility (CSR):
■ Cause related marketing (CRM) is when a company donates money to a charity, a non-profit organization or a good cause, such as UNICEF or Oxfam. The brand is then associated with the charity. For example, a US non-profit wild cat sanctuary, Big Cat Rescue, wants to create a marketing partnership with another organization:
“Big Cat Rescue is looking for the right corporate partner for a mutually beneficial cause related marketing campaign. We need financial donations to be able to afford to make our good work more effective. Today most of this funding comes from private individuals. We are looking for a corporate partner that shares our principles and values.”
Note: The abbreviation CRM also refers to Customer Relationship Management.
■ Green marketing is the development and distribution of eco-friendly, or environmentally friendly, goods - for example, washing powder that is not harmful to the environment. For example, 6 degrees.ca is a Canadian web-based forum that promotes green marketing and environmental protection:
“6 degrees.ca believes that if a business is behaving in an ethical or moral way then they will contribute to environmental sustainability. Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Responsible citizens are aware of environmental concerns such as global warming, and act to protect the environment.
■ Responsible purchasing is another way that a company can build or maintain a good reputation. Companies can refuse to buy materials or goods made using child labour or that have been tested on animals. As well as showing concern for human rights and animal testing, a company can implement a policy of sustainable purchasing and only buy products that come from renewable sources.
6.3 Make word combinations using a word from each box. Two words can be used twice.
| animal | beneficial |
| donate | money |
| environmental | problems |
| mutually | purchasing |
| responsible | responsible |
| social | sustainability |
| socially | testing |
6.4 Complete the textsdescribing examples of CSR. Then decide whether the companies are involved in CRM, green marketing or social marketing.
a) In 2008, we are proud to continue ourmarketing (1)..... with theArlette Foundation. We will promote the(2)..... in our stores and wewill sell a range of products displaying the charity's distinctive logo.
For each product sold, we will (3)..... money to the Arlette Foundation, with a minimum (4)..... of £250,000. We are committed to being (5)..... responsible.
b) The Push Play campaign in New Zealand has successfully (6)..... New Zealanders to do more exercise. The campaign aimed to limit the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes, (7)..... problems now affecting countries worldwide.
c) CASE STUDY: Woody Pens - Designed for the Environment
Instead of making its pens from plastic, Goodkind Pen Company uses wood scraps from local furniture makers, and its pens are designed to be refillable. By carefully designing its product to be eco- (8) ….. and of high quality, it is mutually (9)….. for the environment and the consumer. Goodkind has made a product with a super-green profile and, in the process, enjoys a high level of satisfaction from environmentally conscious consumers and companies with a responsible (10) ….. policy. Goodkind embraces environmental (11)…...
6.5 Think about the brands you buy. How does ethical marketing influence your purchasing decisions?
Confusing words
Customer or client?
A customer or a client is a person who buys goods or a service. The term 'client' is mainly used for service industries, and implies a regular contact between the seller and the buyer. A consumer is a person who buys goods or services for their personal use. The term is also used to talk about someone who uses the product or service. For food, the customer is the person who buys it and the consumer is the person who eats it. However, the two terms are often used interchangeably without particular attention to the difference in meaning.
Stock or inventory?
In British and American English, inventory refers to the complete list of goods in stock - We have thirty types of paper in our inventory. However, in American English, the word also means the amount of goods in stock - Our inventory of paper is the largest in the state.
Salesperson or sales rep?
| Job description Title | |
| works in a shop or store | shop assistant or sales assistant, salesperson |
| works for a company that sells to another company | salesperson or sales executive, working under a sales manager, who reports to the sales director |
| sells door-to-door or travels from company to company | sales rep (or sales representative), salesperson |
| sells insurance | sales agent |
| sells property | estate agent |
| sells cars | car dealer |
Trade show, trade exhibition or trade fair? Seminar, conference or congress?
The terms trade show, trade exhibition and trade fair are interchangeable. However, seminar, conference and congress are not. A seminar is a class on a particular subject, usually given as a form of training; a conference is a larger event, where there are a number of talks on a particular subject; a congress is a large formal meeting of different groups to discuss ideas and exchange information.
Leaflet or flyer?
A leaflet advertises a product or a service; a flyer usually advertises an event.
An ice-cream tub or a tub of ice cream?
There is a difference between an ice-cream tub (the container itself, without the contents) and a tub of ice cream (the product in its container). So a jam jar is the container, and a jar of jam refers to the jam in the jar.