I've written a lot in this blog about the need for companies to be socially responsible when developing and marketing products and services, whether they food, tobacco, pharmaceuticals or any other product that will have an impact on the environment, the health or well being of our community.
I this month's HBS Working Knowledge, there is a great article on the stages that many companies have gone through to improve their corporate responsibility.
Okay, corporate responsibility is critical. But, it's just good marketing. Over the past twenty years or so, consumers have become much more activist - and they use their economic power to reward and punish companies in part based on their behaviour. According to Don Tapscott, author of the Naked Corporation, the ability of activist consumers to influence others has only increased with the advent of the web, and the effectiveness of email, blogs, Instant messaging and other new technologies.
So it's time to wake up and acknowledge that all of our marketing decisions must now have an additional criteria - is this activity/product/service socially responsible?
The sooner that businesses start to respond, and be proactive, the more influence that they will have on the outcome. If you don't get on the train before it leaves the station, you can bet that you will have little influence on its destination.
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