Workers Back Socially Responsible Corporate Initiatives

A news release from TheLadders.com, a job site for positions paying $100,000 and above, reported that 87.3% also said they would not work for a company that had a negative reputation for social responsibility. However, there is a cost: 67.2% of respondents felt social responsibility initiatives reduce the company’s bottom line, according to the news release.

Employers also want their workers to join in socially responsible activities. Almost half of those surveyed (45.1%) said their companies promote employee participation in the events and organizations dedicated to social responsibility.

However, 29.6% of executives said they were clueless about any social programs initiated by their companies. Another 25.3% said that while their companies do promote social responsibility, employees are not encouraged to participate.

According to the news release, many execs said they would like to participate in programs that help children such as scholarships or mentoring underprivileged children. Making efforts to improve air quality were also popular with employees, as were volunteering in health programs and raising money for disease research.

“Social responsibility has become a buzz word, but it is not a fad,” said Marc Cendella, founder and CEO of TheLadders.com, in the news release. “The leadership of American business agrees that while profitability and expansion are critical, so too is the need for programs that reinvest in our communities. Based on the level of importance our members have put on this issue, social responsibility will clearly be a corporate imperative for the long haul.”

The survey was conducted in June 2007.