We Want Companies to Do Good

More and more, we want the companies we do business with to give back. And we're willing to spend a little more to support corporations that exhibit social responsibility, according to a new survey by public relations firm Burson-Marsteller. And one third of employees said they'd take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company, with workers 18 to 34 years old leading the way.

Of course it's well known that what people tell pollsters and what they actually do can be very different. For example, while 75 percent said that reading about a company's social responsibility agenda on its website made them more likely to buy its products or services, only 15 percent had actually done so.

Meanwhile, only 45 percent felt sure they understood the term "corporate social responsibility." The unsure 55 percent are probably wise; after all, it's a feel-good term that can be quite difficult to define and quantify. There wasn't even agreement among those who felt they had a handle on it. Twenty percent or less of that group agreed on the top two indicators: giving back or being concerned with the local community, as well as self-regulation and accountability.

The survey also found that consumers may not be aware of the good that companies do. For example, did you know that the employees of Timberland, maker of boots and shoes, took part in more than 140 community service projects across the world, totaling more than 52,000 hours of service? Or that Ben & Jerry's ice cream, despite being owned by global giant Unilever, continues its founders' tradition by supporting peace and justice organizations while sourcing sustainable and humanely produced ingredients?

By the way, if you really want to put your money where your socially responsible mouth is, Green America offers a searchable directory of businesses that were carefully screened. Companeis that make its Green Pages are the best of the best when it comes to social responsibility. Here are the criteria they need to meet:

• Focus on using business as a tool for positive social change.
• Are "values-driven," as well as profit-driven.
• Are socially and environmentally responsible in the way they source, manufacture, and market their products and run their offices and factories.
• Are committed to and employ extraordinary and innovative practices that benefit: 1) workers, 2) communities, 3) customers, and 4) the environment.

The Burson-Marsteller survey itself may do the most good in the long run. This global PR firm has massive corporate and political clout. When it advises mega-businesses to clean up their act, they'll listen.