Corporate social responsibility: what it is and how it influences marketing

In a globalized environment in which there are important inequalities both between States and between people, this concept that we are going to analyze has gained strength. For entrepreneurs and consumers it is important to be aware of  what corporate social responsibility is and what implications it has  on the way a business is run.

 

Índice

  1. What is the corporate social responsibility of a company
  2. How CSR influences marketing strategy
  3. Benefits of corporate social responsibility

What is the corporate social responsibility of a company

When it comes to corporate social responsibility, the definition takes us to the commitment that more and more companies have adopted in recent decades to carry out their operations so that they can contribute to the improvement of the environment, society and the economy .   

The concept of corporate social responsibility emerged in the 90s of the last century, when it was proven that growing globalization did not imply equality in the possibility of economic development. And it was something very new, because it was the first time that an ethical aspect gained importance in the business world .

How CSR influences marketing strategy

Understanding what a company’s CSR is can help us understand how it directly influences the image that a business transmits.

Although aspects such as the quality of a product or service and good customer service remain basic for consumers, they have more and more companies to choose from. For this reason, marketing strategies no longer seek to make such direct advertising, because this is no longer effective.    

New marketing techniques want to achieve a connection between the brand and the public. That the customer chooses a product not only because he likes it, but because he feels identified with the values ​​that that company defends . 

The objective is no longer limited to achieving sales, but what is now sought is customer loyalty . 

Corporate social responsibility is a great way to generate brand image . Through social networks, newsletters and other communication channels, the internal actions carried out by a company can be made known and which are highly valued by its customers, even if they do not directly affect them.   

It has been proven that today’s consumer is more loyal to companies committed to causes such as environmental protection, conciliation, equality, etc. If marketing is used to publicize CSR, values ​​are being transmitted with which the consumer feels identified , generating engagement .  

Benefits of corporate social responsibility

It is no coincidence that more and more companies are interested in knowing what CSR is and how to apply it, it is because they have realized that important advantages can be derived from it : 

  • Improvement of the brand image or reputation of the business.

  • Improving the competitiveness of the company.

  • Greater customer loyalty.

  • Greater employee loyalty.

  • Increase in profits.

  • Ensure that the company contributes something important to society.

By analyzing in detail what corporate social responsibility is, we can see that it is something that generates benefits both inside and outside the business. This means that more and more companies are striving to have good CSR and to make their projects known.