Another Good Reason for Doing Good

Corporations today are subject to constant scrutiny thanks to citizen journalism and social media, so opportunities for good corporate behavior are as important as ever. The long comeback from recession may have slowed down some corporate responsibility initiatives, but the issue itself is picking up steam with the media.

Earlier this week, exclusive research from PRIME Research and PR News showed that the media share of voice about corporate social responsibility is on the rise and that, additionally, the tone of coverage has moved into positive territory for the first time in the last several years.

Additionally, new research shows that Americans may find that the experience of being involved in a cause actually affects their own behavior as well. According to findings from the Dynamics of Cause Engagement study, conducted jointly by Georgetown University's Center for Social Impact Communication and Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, more than half of Americans (52%) say they have changed their actions or behavior because of their involvement in a cause.

Lynn Miller, CEO of green marketing agency 4GreenPs, says the survey's findings of strong correlations between cause campaigns and resulting behavior change will help CSR and PR practitioners build convincing cases for more corporate investment in CSR. "The survey results are of particular importance to the energy and utility sectors marketers, as they struggle to convince homeowners to reduce their energy consumption," says Miller. "Smart communicators everywhere will be making note of the CSR campaign synergies hinted at in this report."