15 Corporate Social Responsibility Examples

Corporate Social Responsibility examples are all around us. 

We analyzed some of the best companies in the world to gather a list of 15 Corporate Social Responsibility examples.

And check out the special discount below to save money on eco-friendly products!

$$ SALE - Save Money on Eco-Friendly Products! $$

Do you want to save money on eco-friendly products? Take advantage of these special sales going on now!

All of these products are certified "Climate Pledge Friendly" and on sale now on Amazon. Limited time offer!


15 Corporate Social Responsibility Examples

Sustainability

1. Creating New Products from Plastic Waste

Adidas has partnered with Parley for the Oceans to make new sneakers from plastic waste. 

Parley collects the plastic from beaches and Adidas breaks it down into usable material. Each shoe in the Parley collection is made from at least 75% intercepted marine trash.

Ocean Pollution - Corporate Social Responsibility Examples

Adidas estimates that they have prevented 2,810 tons of plastic from reaching the ocean!

Ready to buy running shoes made from recycled plastic?

Adidas's collection is available on Amazon

2. Building Green Office Spaces

Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California uses100% renewable energy.

Commercial buildings use a lot of energy and require constant upkeep. Eco-friendly companies use sustainable building materials to reduce their carbon footprint. 

Not all companies have the ability to build expensive green buildings. However, some developers use shipping containers to create green office spaces. 

Containerville - London, England

Recycled Shipping Container Buildings

The Box Office - Providence, RI

Corporate Social Responsibility Example - Shipping Container Offices

3. Improving Current Infrastructure

Companies often update their current buildings to reduce energy consumption. Examples include installing LED lights, updating HVAC systems, and implementing automatic shades. 

For example, Bloomberg updated their company headquarters to achieve a prestigious LEED Green Building Certification. 

Bloomberg Headquarters - Corporate Social Responsibility Example

4. Conserving Water

Companies often implement techniques to reduce their water consumption.

For instance, Levi Strauss & Co. has saved over 3 billion liters of water through their "Water<Less" process.

Picture Describing Levi Strauss's Water Saving Process

5. Avoiding Food Waste

Did you know that in the United States about 1/3 of food is thrown away

Larger companies try to reduce food waste in their cafeterias and offices. 

For instance, Google prevents food waste in their offices by tracking how much food is wasted as meals are prepared.

Chefs have scales that track food waste throughout the preparation process.  

Corporate Social Responsibility - Google Avoids Food Waste

Furthermore, scales are set up in the cafeteria so employees can see how much food they are wasting.

Google estimates that they have saved over 6 million pounds of food through these initiatives!

6. Committing to Renewable Energy

Businesses commit to renewable energy in a variety of ways. 

For example, Salesforce has committed to 100% renewable energy via Renewable Energy Credits ("RECs"). 

Renewable Energy Credits

Instead of producing clean energy from scratch, Salesforce buys RECs to offset their traditional energy use. 

However, not just any REC will do. Salesforce only buys RECs generated from new sources. 

7. Installing Solar Panels

Target recently completed its 500th rooftop solar installation! By installing solar panels on the roofs of their large commercial buildings, Target has reduced its carbon footprint dramatically while reducing electricity costs.

Solar Panels on a Target Store
Renewable Energy

8. Encouraging Environmentally Friendly Commutes

Taking advantage of an eco-friendly commute is a great way to go green. 

Some companies, such as Apple, offer shuttle buses to assist in getting their employees to work. However, not all companies need to provide transportation for their employees. Setting up incentives and programs to encourage environmentally friendly commutes, such as biking or using public transportation, helps too.

Eco-Friendly Commuting Practices

Equality 

9. Advocating for Equal Pay

Gender-based pay gaps are especially prevalent in the U.S. and U.K. On average, women earn 80 cents for every dollar that men earn. 

Gender Pay Gap Graph

As a result, companies have tried to bridge this gap by initiating equal pay assessments and committing funds to adjust their pay practices.

Similarly, another type of gap is the CEO-to-average-worker pay ratio. Although this ratio will never be equal, it is an indicator of income inequality that publicly traded companies must disclose.

10. Increasing Diversity at the Board and Executive Level

Diversity is an important part of any business. Studies have shown that companies with a diverse Board of Directors often have better financial performance.

Diversity

Companies are trying to find individuals from different backgrounds when filling a board seat or executive position. Fortune 500 companies still have a long way to go regarding diversity.

Nonetheless, there is more representation from women and people of color on boards and at the highest levels.


Morality

11. Strengthening Business Ethics Programs

Business Ethics has become an integral part of companies’ framework and identity.

Business Ethics

As a result, entities have put programs in place to ensure that employees have multiple avenues to report troublesome behavior, conduct, or practices without fear of retaliation. 


Philanthropy

12. Sponsoring Charitable Matching Programs

An increasing number of employers are sponsoring charitable matching programs where they match their employees' donations to charity.

Donate

13. Organizing Volunteer Opportunities

Additionally, some companies organize opportunities for their employees to volunteer. They organize days where employees can use paid time to get out of the office and engage with the community. 

Volunteer

14. Founding Non-Profit Organizations

Furthermore, some entities take philanthropy a step further and found their own charitable organizations.

They leverage their scale, resources, and brand to help change the world.  For instance, Coca-Cola created the Coca-Cola foundation as a way to give back.

15. Giving Back to the Local Community

Businesses give back by putting on local events to help those in need. These grass root efforts build trust and support individuals in their backyard.


Have you seen other examples of Corporate Social Responsibility? Let us know in the comments!

More Articles

About the Author SBToolkit

Leave a Comment: