A new survey asks the American public, "Is it important for corporations to be socially responsible?" Less than half of those surveyed understand the question. What does that mean for Corporate America?

1. Is it better
to be responsive
than responsible?
Rusty Cawley, APR | TheColdCrisis.com

2. Survey: Social Responsibility
• Penn Schoen Berland
– 1001 online interviews
with general U.S. public
(ages 18+)
– Feb. 10-12, 2010
– Margin: +/- 2.53%

3. More then 75 % say
social responsibility
is important.

4. 55 % say
social responsibility
influences the
products they buy.

5. 38 % say they will
pay more for a
socially responsible
product.

6. But …

7. Only 45% say they
know the meaning of
‘social responsibility’

8. What does
‘socially responsible’ mean?
• Of the 45% who say the
know the meaning …
– 20% say ‘giving back to
local community.’
– 19% say ‘self regulation
and accountability.’
– 17% say ‘helping people.’
– 12% say ‘ethics and
honesty’

9. The problem with saying,
‘We are socially responsible.’
• No one will believe you.
• It’s an impossible
standard.
– U.S. corporations are by
design and by law
sociopathic.
– The CEO can have only
one concern: The
interest of shareholders.

10. The Skilling Defense
• ‘I always acted in the
best interests of our
shareholders.’
– Jeff Skilling, president of
Enron, testifying before
Congress, 2002

11. A different approach: Responsiveness
• Companies ‘undermine the
public’s understanding of
capitalism by claiming to be
‘responsible’ when I’d rather
they claimed to be
‘responsive.’
– Dr. Peter Sandman, The
Synergist, Dec. 2005

12. ‘Responsible’ vs. ‘Responsive’
Factory A
• ‘We’ve stopping polluting
the stream because we love
fish more than profits.’
Factory B
• ‘Here’s why we stopped
polluting the stream …’
1. Our lawyers
2. Our regulators
3. The activists
4. Our neighbors, families and
employees
Which one do you believe?

13. When you lie about
your motives, you
imply that you lie
about your behavior.

14. Five ways to be responsive
1. Be empathetic
2. Be accountable
3. Be transparent
4. Share the fact-finding
5. Take meaningful action

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