3 Easy Ways to Get Started with CSR as a Small Business

by Brittany LaGanke, VP, Project Management, CGC

Getting up and running as a small business can be complex, from acquiring your products to arranging your storefront to marketing your kickoff event. Once you handle your urgent tasks and you’re ready to take on new initiatives, corporate social responsibility (CSR) should be at the top of your list.

Double the Donation defines CSR as “a company’s attitude and efforts toward improving society. CSR helps companies be socially accountable through various avenues, including philanthropic practices, economic factors, and environmental awareness.”

Incorporating CSR as a small business sets you apart from your competitors, showing consumers that you’re not just interested in profit—you’re also invested in giving back to your community and making it a better place. If you want to implement CSR practices at your small business but aren’t sure what to do, this guide will discuss four strategies you can start with.

1. Incorporate CSR into your business values.

If you’re serious about your commitment to CSR, your first step is to incorporate its principles into your business values. As these values are the foundation of your business, they’ll inform every decision you make, fully solidifying CSR in your business’s operations.

Here are a few CSR-related business values to consider:

Transparency and accountability
Fair trade and ethical sourcing
Human-centered leadership
Respect
Integrity
Sustainability
Community engagement
Charitable giving
Volunteerism

For example, let’s say you’re opening a gym. Since you’re selling memberships to your gym and not specific products, some of these business values aren’t so relevant to your company. However, you could choose fairness, opportunity, respect, community engagement, and volunteerism as your business values to support your commitment to CSR.

The point of incorporating CSR-focused values is to emphasize and solidify your desire to give back to the community. There may be other business values that you feel fall under this umbrella and aren’t on the list above—don’t hesitate to select those values as well!

2. Foster a positive work environment.

When business owners think of their community, their first thoughts are usually their customers and then the greater community that their business exists in. However, employees are another critical part of your community, and you should try to give back to them. After all, without their efforts, your business would not be able to grow and thrive.

Here are a few ways you can foster a positive work environment and improve employee engagement:

Build a culture of respect and collaboration. Employees should feel empowered to do their best work, work with their teammates, and make mistakes without repercussions. Have your managers lead by example and model positive, encouraging work behaviors.
Recognize and reward high-performing employees. People like to be appreciated for their work, and your employees are no exception. Offer high-performers perks like extra vacation days, branded merchandise, and shoutouts on your employee portal to show your gratitude for their hard work.
Promote good work-life balance. Offer flexible work arrangements (such as remote options or flexible schedules), encourage employees to take breaks and time off, help them set clear boundaries with work, and provide mental health and wellness support. Additionally, you can offer enrichment programs after work hours for team bonding—for example, if many employees enjoy running, try starting a running club!
Offer professional development opportunities. As a small business, you may not have the funds to pay for professional development courses or conferences. However, you can still mentor your employees, giving them advice when needed and helping them grow into their roles. Additionally, encourage employees to collaborate and work with those in other roles to discover and develop new skills.
Implement corporate philanthropy initiatives. 71% of employees believe it’s important to work at a company that gives back to the local community through philanthropy and volunteering, so you should implement corporate philanthropy programs to improve engagement. Start small with matching gifts or volunteer grants and grow your initiatives over time.

Every so often, survey your employees about their satisfaction levels. Allow them to send anonymous responses so they feel empowered to answer honestly. Then, look through the feedback provided and implement any reasonable changes to offer a better working environment at your small business.

Plus, employees will talk about your small business and whether they enjoy working for it. Having a great work culture not only improves public relations but also attracts other top talent when you have open roles.

3. Support your local community.

The last two steps focused on changes you can make within your organization. Now, it’s time to look outside your small business and focus on your local community. Ask yourself: What change can you inspire, or what actions can you take to improve your community?

Here are a few suggestions:

Donate to local causes. If there are nonprofits or other charitable causes centered around your local community, donate to them or fundraise on their behalf. If your small business doesn’t have the funds to spare, you can help them in other ways, such as by getting the word out about upcoming events or campaigns.
Volunteer with your staff members. There’s plenty of volunteer work to be found within your community. Organize volunteer weekends with your staff members to help out community causes, from picking up litter to setting up an annual fundraising 5K.
Host community events. Take charge of improving your community by hosting a community-centric event. For instance, you could organize a community potluck or cookout to foster camaraderie among neighbors and meet other business owners. Or, you could fundraise on behalf of a nonprofit. For example, Sneakers4Good recommends partnering with a shoe drive provider. You’ll collect gently worn, used and new shoes from your community. The provider will take those sneakers and give funds to the cause of your choice! It’s a great, sustainable way to boost social good.

There are plenty of ways to help your community, even if you have a low budget! Don’t be afraid to get creative to help your small business’s community thrive and grow.

Establishing your small business as CSR-focused brings plenty of benefits, from helping you stand out among competitors to garnering increased community trust. However, CSR looks different for every organization. If you’re looking for a unique CSR strategy perfectly tailored to your business’s needs, consider working with a CSR consultant. They’ll help you uncover your company’s vision of giving and grow your initiatives for greater social impact.