Susan McPherson is a serial connector, cause marketer, angel investor and, in this day and-age of business, most importantly Susan McPherson is a corporate responsibility expert. Susan also founded and hosts the bi-weekly Twitter #CSRChat and is the founder and CEO of McPherson Strategies—a communications consultancy focusing on the intersection between brands and social good. Here’s her thoughts on corporate social responsibility:

“Corporate social responsibility is never a dull moment.”

“The world we live in today is entirely transparent.”

“We are all connected. Consumers can open the kimono of a company and are in tune with what they’re doing.”

“I’d had 9 lives at this point. Most of my life was spent in corporate America. I always had one foot out the door serving for non-profits.”

“I would always bring that CSR good karma into the workplace.”

“We work with Coca Cola, JCPenny—we get to sit between brands and social good.”

“I left my job and started my own company the next day. No vacation, no time off.

“JCPenny is one of the most benevolent companies. They’ve been giving back since they were founded.”

“The adage about doing good and giving back after you’re profitable is wrong. You can attract, maintain and keep the best employees and customers.”

“B-corps register their company on their amount of giving back. Patagonia and Ben and Jerry’s were one of the first.”

“When I was 19 Ben and Jerry’s opened their first store in Vermont and Ben and Jerry themselves were scooping the ice cream.”

“Consumers have so much power in the wallets. Companies need to adhere to consumer demands.”

“We council our clients on how to be mindful.”

“The days of greenwashing are over.”

“People can be forgiving when companies when they admit to being wrong.”

“5-10 years ago you’d never see companies getting involved in social justice issues.”

“I cite businesses as being the reason we saw marriage equality happen. Microsoft, Kelloggs, and Dell pushed this.”

“Everybody wants the world to be a better place. I’m very much an optimist.”

“You can bake social good in from the get-go. There’s lots you can do no matter how small you are.”

“Ask your team, what would they like to see you stand for?”

“Look around your local community. If you put together something that benefits your neighborhood you have a better chance of getting local press.”

“I founded #CSRChat in 2010 accidentally.”

“Over the years #CSRChat featured Hilton Hotels, Cisco, Intel. The goal is to shine light on the organizations that are pushing the envelope.”

“Women’s issues have really taken off the last few years.”

“If trendy gets people thinking of something that should be thinking of, then I’m okay with the word trendy.”

“We need people who know how to code regardless of their gender or sexual orientation.”

“100,000 jobs initiative is about helping our unemployed youth get jobs.”

“Another trend is we’re seeing collaboration from companies tackling big problems.”

“The traditional means was a press release or a CSR report. Now companies are doing videos and infographics.”

“Allow your customers to have a stake in a businesses CSR.”
“Find out what the organization is all about. Who are the stakeholders, who buys their products.”

“What does success look like in 6,12, 18 months? We ask these questions up front.”

“There’s many companies that never talk about themselves. Toyota has done so many good things but never talks about it.”

“All departments need to be involved in CSR in business. Finance, marketing, CEOs, everyone.

“You can’t be a purposeful company without treating your employees right.”

“If you have an all male, all white board, you can’t sell to woman the way you should.”

“Greenwashing came out of companies jumping on the environmentally sound bandwagon. Companies we’re saying it but not doing it.”

“Survey Monkey is an inexpensive way to poll customers.”

“Packaging doesn’t have to be cardboard. Bamboo is so much more sustainable.”

“The average person uses 24 pieces of plastic a day.”

“Last year from Christmas I asked everyone to find give a donation in the person’s name they were given.”

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