Carolyn Butler-Madden: Why CSR needs to evolve to Social Purpose
3 min read
Chicago May 31st 2012. I was at a cause marketing conference in Chicago listening to a spokesperson from Procter & Gamble (P&G), talk about the Pampers Nappies ‘one pack = one vaccine’ global marketing campaign in partnership with UNICEF. It was an extraordinary moment and one that went onto change my view of the role of business and brands in society.
The speaker shared the campaign’s impact. At that stage it had been running for six years and had helped to eradicate Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus (MNT) in eight countries by funding over 300 million vaccines and raising over US$40 million in donations.
She told us the campaign had also been one of P&G’s single most successful marketing campaigns globally, delivering exceptional volume and market share growth. She went on to say – with a conviction that gave me goosebumps – that P&G and Pampers would not stop in their efforts until MNT had been eradicated from the world.
They haven’t. The partnership is now in its 13th year. Results reported in 2016 highlighted that the partnership had helped eliminate MNT in 17 countries, saving the lives of approximately 500,000 newborns and protecting 100 million women and their babies from the deadly disease.
It’s an incredible example of the power that business has to create social impact and, in so doing, deliver strong commercial outcomes.
Today this idea of business as a force for good is no longer a nice to have. It’s essential for the times we live in. It is also the key to giving businesses a powerful competitive advantage.
The Three Forces Driving Change to “Business As Usual”
- The trust deficit
Trust in government, media and corporations is rapidly declining. According to Edelman’s 2019 Trust Barometer, only one in five people believe “the system” is working for them. Almost half believe it is failing them. Clearly there’s an urgent need to rebuild trust.
- Technology disruption: the age of the empowered consumer
People can now choose what information they receive and can filter content with controls they’ve never had before. They can research and compare brands, products and services and make considered choices. This means brands need to find ways to ‘attract’ people. The days of broadcasting your message to a captive audience are over. Brands must become magnets for people.
- Millennials’ quest for ‘purpose’
Millennials’ desire to seek purpose in their lives is well documented. This desire is magnified even further for Gen Z. Businesses that want to attract and retain the best people need to address what is fast becoming the fifth ‘P’ of marketing – ‘purpose’.
From CSR to Social Purpose
To meet these needs – build trust, attract customers, attract and retain quality employees – CSR needs to move out of the backroom. It has to transform into a genuine Social Purpose and be front and centre of an organisation’s operations.
This is not about giving money to a cause and telling people about it. It’s about using your brand, assets and resources as a genuine force for positive impact.
How?
Find your Social Purpose sweet spot; what your brand genuinely stands for beyond its products and services, that strategically aligns with your business. Set a social impact goal. Then invite your employees, customers and partners to help you achieve that goal.
A bonus tip: don’t make the mistake of positioning your brand as the hero. Start thinking about how to make your customers and employees the heroes of their story. That’s where the magic happens.
Have you identified your social purpose sweet spot?
By Carolyn Butler-Madden
About the author
Carolyn Butler-Madden is a speaker and author of Amazon best-selling book “Path To Purpose”.
She is the founder and Chief Purpose Activist at The Cause Effect, a specialist marketing consultancy in Australia that enables businesses to do well by doing good.
She believes in a world where business is a force for good and brands drive profit through purpose. Her mission is to put Social Purpose on the business agenda.
