Do the Right Thing… Do the Smart Thing… Do the Profitable Thing

In Frontiers of Management, Peter Drucker maintained that, “the first responsibility of business is to make enough profit to cover the costs for the future. If this social responsibility is not met, no other social responsibility can be met. . . . the proper social responsibility of business . . . . is to turn a social problem into economic opportunity and economic benefit, into productive capacity, into human competence, into well-paid jobs, and into wealth.”

Whether you call it corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, community partnership, or just doing the right thing, more and more businesses are recognizing the value of social responsibility. This is reflected in the results of a 2007 McKinsey survey where 95% of CEOs surveyed said that society now has higher expectations of business taking on public responsibilities than it did five years ago.  When a company acts irresponsibly, it makes headlines, but when a company acts responsibly and ethically, it builds lasting brand trust.

Value in the Marketplace

A company’s reputation is strongly linked to its commitment to corporate responsibility, a commitment that begins in the workplace and extends to its operations, communities, and customers. Acting as a socially responsible business enhances your shareholder value. Hiring people with disabilities can increase customer loyalty:

• According to a recent University of Massachusetts survey, 92% of the American public view companies that hire people with disabilities more favorably than those that do not; 87% of the public also agree that they would prefer to give their business to companies that hire people with disabilities.
• According to Tim Sanders in Saving the World at Work, 65% of Americans are willing to switch to a brand associated with a good cause if price and quality are relatively equal.
• Socially responsible investments – mutual funds that screen companies for their contributions to society – rose 258% in the last ten years, a return on investment that beats the market by more than 15%.

Value in the Workplace

Today’s customers and employees support businesses that improve the quality of life for workers, their families, the community and society. You demonstrate your corporate social responsibility by employing people with disabilities, including youth, maturing workers, and disabled veterans. As indicated in Saving the World at Work, employers who demonstrate their corporate social responsibility can become an employer of choice.

• 10% of young job seekers identified themselves as “ethical enthusiasts,” more concerned about the values of their potential employer than they are about starting take-home pay.
• A 2006 study of 14- to 18-year-olds found 78% said money was less important than personal fulfillment – purpose trumps a paycheck.

When you hire people with disabilities, you can increase employee loyalty and productivity while attracting and retaining the best talent.