Corporate Responsibility - still a hot topic
Do consumers really want corporate responsibility, and does it pay to invest in it? In cooperation with GfK Panel Services Germany, we took this question as the basis for a comprehensive study on the subject of corporate responsibility. The study not only asked consumers how they see CR, but also compared this with what they actually buy. Based on 40,000 households, the study looked at corporate responsibility holistically in terms of education, the environment, health, work and society.
Analogous to the RB Profiler, we developed the CR Profiler to determine consumers' attitudes to CR as a whole. This tool reflects the entire range of CR issues as consumers see them. The CR Profiler refines consumers' ethical values and is able to further detail the findings of the original RB Profiler. With this new tool, we can offer a unique value proposition to our clients for defining a differentiated approach towards potential CR issues and consumer needs.
From "Dedicated volunteers" to "Self-responsible family people" – Five types of consumers
Based on the CR profiles, the study identified five types of consumers, who differ in terms of what they think about CR and expect of it. Some types of consumer, the "Dedicated volunteers", for example, are more interested in traditional CR issues such as the environment, ethical standards and human rights. Others, like "Self-responsible family people", are more concerned about issues such as nutritious diet and health. Consumers like this tend to focus on their own narrow world, and are less interested in wider CR issues.
People's attitudes towards CR affect what they actually buy
What is interesting here is comparing what consumers say they think with what they actually do. When asked "Do you buy green products?", for example, more "Dedicated volunteers" (58%) and "Critical consumers" (59%) than average said they did. If we look at what these two groups buy, we find they spend more than the average on green detergents and cleaners.
With organic products, too, we find that what consumers think affects what they buy: 32% of both "Dedicated volunteers" and "Critical consumers" said they prefer to buy organic foods. Not only are they above average in terms of attitude, they also actually spend more on organic products (8% and 7% on average, respectively).
Businesses need to integrate findings on CR into their strategy
Businesses and brands vary dramatically in how far they give consumers what they want in terms of CR, and so different brands attract different types of consumers, as specific examples show. Comparing Bionade's consumers with Coca-Cola's, for instance, we find Bionade consumers are very concerned about regional products and eating healthy. Helping developing countries and protecting the environment really matter to them. Coca-Cola buyers, on the other hand, are more concerned about their immediate environment: helping their neighbors and their family is of above-average importance to them.
Companies need to be aware of these differences and incorporate them into their CR strategy. The CR strategy itself then must be implemented in all relevant units of a company's value chain. The CR Profiler is helpful for focusing CR investments in the areas that are relevant to a company's consumer base. Particularly in times of crisis, when many companies are reviewing their CR initiatives with a view to cutting costs, this tool enables them to better assess which CR elements to cut and which to keep.
Analogous to the RB Profiler, we developed the CR Profiler to determine consumers' attitudes to CR as a whole. This tool reflects the entire range of CR issues as consumers see them. The CR Profiler refines consumers' ethical values and is able to further detail the findings of the original RB Profiler. With this new tool, we can offer a unique value proposition to our clients for defining a differentiated approach towards potential CR issues and consumer needs.
From "Dedicated volunteers" to "Self-responsible family people" – Five types of consumers
Based on the CR profiles, the study identified five types of consumers, who differ in terms of what they think about CR and expect of it. Some types of consumer, the "Dedicated volunteers", for example, are more interested in traditional CR issues such as the environment, ethical standards and human rights. Others, like "Self-responsible family people", are more concerned about issues such as nutritious diet and health. Consumers like this tend to focus on their own narrow world, and are less interested in wider CR issues.
People's attitudes towards CR affect what they actually buy
What is interesting here is comparing what consumers say they think with what they actually do. When asked "Do you buy green products?", for example, more "Dedicated volunteers" (58%) and "Critical consumers" (59%) than average said they did. If we look at what these two groups buy, we find they spend more than the average on green detergents and cleaners.
With organic products, too, we find that what consumers think affects what they buy: 32% of both "Dedicated volunteers" and "Critical consumers" said they prefer to buy organic foods. Not only are they above average in terms of attitude, they also actually spend more on organic products (8% and 7% on average, respectively).
Businesses need to integrate findings on CR into their strategy
Businesses and brands vary dramatically in how far they give consumers what they want in terms of CR, and so different brands attract different types of consumers, as specific examples show. Comparing Bionade's consumers with Coca-Cola's, for instance, we find Bionade consumers are very concerned about regional products and eating healthy. Helping developing countries and protecting the environment really matter to them. Coca-Cola buyers, on the other hand, are more concerned about their immediate environment: helping their neighbors and their family is of above-average importance to them.
Companies need to be aware of these differences and incorporate them into their CR strategy. The CR strategy itself then must be implemented in all relevant units of a company's value chain. The CR Profiler is helpful for focusing CR investments in the areas that are relevant to a company's consumer base. Particularly in times of crisis, when many companies are reviewing their CR initiatives with a view to cutting costs, this tool enables them to better assess which CR elements to cut and which to keep.
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