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                                                                                                                               A Big Issue for Millennials

                                                                                                                                   Donia, an expert in how CSR affects em-
                                                                                                                               ployees, said it’s a big issue for Millennials, who
                                                                                                                               more and more expect their bosses to be good
                                                                                                                               corporate citizens. So, coffee and tea shop
                                                                                                                               owners, where young people are often em-
                                                                                                                               ployed, might want to take note.
                                                                                                                                   “It’s more and more the younger genera-
                                                                                                                               tions that are driven by values of ethics and
                                                                                                                               integrity and giving back to the community and
                                                                                                                               social welfare,” Donia said.
                                                                                                                                   Donia finds many young people now care
                                                                                                                               more about being proud of who they work for,
                                                                                                                               than they do about salary or the type of job
                                                                                                                               they have. Good CSR will be reflected in em-
                                                                                                                               ployees’ motivation and even job performance.
                                                                                                                                   “When they see  the organization  going
                                                                                                                               above and beyond and trying to do good, they
                                                                                                                               themselves in turn will want to pay that forward
                                                                                                                               to their organizations… There’s actually a real
                                                                                                                               pay-off in terms of your employees.”

                                                                                                                               Whatever You Do, Don’t Fake It         Small Things Can Make a Bi
                                                                                                                                                                      Difference
       Photo / Toa Heftiba
                                                                                                                                   But, Donia warned, CSR done for the
                                                                                                                               wrong reasons can have the opposite effect on   A small cafe or coffee shop might not have
                                                                                                                               both employees and customers, noting people   a lot of resources to devote to CSR. Not a prob-
                                                                                                                               can be cynical, and even turn off a brand, if   lem according to Donia. Good corporate citi-
                                                                                                                               they get the sense that a business or person is   zenship can be achieved through small acts of
                                                                                                                               really doing something for their own benefit.   kindness at a community level. It could be as
                                                                                                                                   Donia pointed to previous research into   simple as supporting a food bank with dona-
                                                                                                                               CSR in marketing that found consumers will   tions of leftover food or offering remaining
                                                                                                                               distinguish between what they see as val-  sandwiches to homeless people in the commu-
                                                                                                                               ues-driven CSR — a genuine desire to do good   nity at the end of trading.
                                                                                                                               —  and egoistic-driven CSR — an attempt to    “The best examples of CSR are probably
                                                                                                                               boost reputation or increase profit through   the ones that happen that we don’t necessarily
                                                                                                                               what might be seen as ‘fake’ concern towards   know about,” Donia said. And her advice to a
                                                                                                                               the community.                         business owner thinking about how to begin
                                                                                                                                   “More and more we care about the reasons   with CSR:
                                                                                                                               for why people and organizations do things,”    “Knowing what we know about the effects
                                                                                                                               Donia explained, adding that people will often   on employees, the importance of doing the right
                                                                                                                               make an assessment about an organization by   thing for the right reason, I would suggest the
                                                                                                                               looking at it as if it were a person.   starting point is to get together with employees
                                                                                                                                   “When we see the organization as a per-  and have everyone decide together. Make this
                                                                                                                               son we care as much about the motive as we do   something where you identify a meaningful
                                                                                                                               about what they’re doing. So, CSR affects an   need in your community and come up with
                                                                                                                               organization positively when people see that   something together that everyone gets excited
                                                                                                                               organization as a good corporate citizen.”  about and can feel proud of doing.”


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