If you work at the intersection of profit and purpose, you undoubtedly need quick access to research to support your daily work, whether you’re presenting to the C-Suite or potential partners. When it comes to brand purpose and corporate social responsibility, there’s a growing mountain of evidence that links doing well and doing good.
Here are a few top-line cause marketing and social impact statistics from 2016 – 2018 you’ll want to share.
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The Numbers
Cause sponsorship is predicted to reach $2.14 billion in 2018, a projected increase of 4.4% over 2017. ESP Sponsorship Report Cause sponsorship is predicted to reach $2.14 billion in 2018, a projected increase of 4.4% over 2017. #socialimpact #causemarketing Click To Tweet
Consumer Preference
64% of consumers choose, switch, avoid or boycott a brand based on its stand on societal issues. Edelman’s Earned Brand 2018 64% of consumers choose, switch, avoid or boycott a brand based on its stand on societal issues. #socialimpact #causemarketing Click To Tweet
86% of consumers believe that companies should take a stand for social issues and 64% of those who said it’s ‘extremely important’ for a company to take a stand on a social issue said they were ‘very likely’ to purchase a product based on that commitment. 2018 Shelton Group’s ‘Brands & Stands: Social Purpose is the New Black‘ 86% of consumer believe that companies should take a stand for social issues and 64% of those who said it’s ‘extremely important’ for a company to take a stand on a social issue said they were ‘very likely’ to purchase a product… Click To Tweet
57% of U.S. Hispanics agree they are more likely to purchase brands that support a cause they care about (over-indexing non-Hispanic Whites by 9%), and 43% agree they expect the brands they buy to support social causes (over-indexing by 26%). Nielsen’s 2018 Descubrimiento Digital: The Online Lives of Latinx Consumers. 57% of U.S. Hispanics agree they are more likely to purchase brands that support a cause they care about #socialimpact #CSR Click To Tweet
Nearly two-thirds of ialials and Gen Z express a preference for brands that have a point of view and stand for something, the report found. Kantar Study Nearly 2/3 of millennials and Gen Z express a preference for brands that have a point of view and stand for something, the report found #socialimpact #causemarketing Click To Tweet
28% of U.S. adults have stopped using a brand because of something negative they learned about in the news. Spotlight on CSR 28% of U.S. adults have stopped using a brand because of something negative they learned about in the news. Click To Tweet
33% of consumers are now choosing to buy from brands they believe are doing social or environmental good. Unilever Consumer Study Unilever study: 33% of consumers buy from brands doing social or environmental good Click To Tweet
92% of consumers say they have a more positive image of a company when the company supports a social or environmental issue. 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study 92% of consumers say they have a more positive image of a company when the company supports a social or environmental issue. Click To Tweet
33% of Americans think a company’s reputation is just as important as the products it makes AND have purchased a product more than once, because of this reason. MWWPR calls these people “CorpSumers”. They walk the talk. MWW’s CorpSumer Research 33% of Americans think a company’s reputation is just as important as the products it makes. #social impact Click To Tweet
Gen Z sees their wallets as the primary way to get engaged in CSR efforts, with nine-in-10 (90%) saying they would buy a product with a social or environmental benefit. 2017 Cone Gen Z CSR Study: How to Speak Z 9/10 Gen Z would buy a product with a social or environmental benefit. Click To Tweet
Two-thirds of consumers (66%) say it’s important for brands to take public stands on social and political issues, and more than half (58%) are open to this happening on social media – the top channel for consumer receptivity. Spout Social’s ‘Championing Change in the Age of Social Media’ 2018 66% of consumers want brands to take stands on socio-political issues and 58% say social media is the place to do it #socialimpact Click To Tweet
Economic Opportunity
An estimated $1.2 trillion opportunity exists for brands that make their sustainability credentials clear. Unilever Consumer Study Unilever study: An est. $1.2 trillion opportunity exists for brands that make their #sustainability credentials clear Click To Tweet
Brands with a purpose set on improving our quality of life outperform the stock market by 120%. Interbrand’s Best Global Brands 2017 Brands with a purpose set on improving our quality of life outperform the stock market by 120% Click To Tweet
Point of Sale
60% of consumers say brands should make it easier to see its values and its position on important issues at the point of sale. Edelman’s Earned Brand 2018 60% of consumers say brands should make it easier to see its values and its position on important issues at the point of sale. #socialimpact #causemarketing Click To Tweet
72% of consumers have donated to charity at the register and 65% of consumers felt positively about the retailer after giving. Of the 28% who do not donate at the register, 44% say it was because they “don’t know anything about the cause”. Catalist’s Revelations at the Register 72% of consumers have donated to charity at the register #cause #marketing Click To Tweet
Employee Engagement
Turnover dropped by 57% in employee groups most deeply connected to their companies’ giving and volunteering efforts. Benevity Engagement Study Turnover dropped by 57% in employee groups most deeply connected to their companies’ giving and volunteering efforts. Click To Tweet
93% of employees surveyed want to work for a company that cares about them as an individual; 51% won’t work for a company that doesn’t have strong social and environmental commitments and 74% say their job is more fulfilling when they are provided opportunities to make a positive impact at work. Cone Communications Employee Engagement Study 74% of employees say their job is more fulfilling when they make a positive impact Click To Tweet
89% of executives surveyed said a strong sense of collective purpose drives employee satisfaction. Harvard Business Review’s The Business Case For Purpose 89% of executives surveyed said a strong sense of collective purpose drives employee satisfaction Click To Tweet
Nearly 3 in 10 employees who don’t give through their workplace giving program say they are not giving because the causes they care about aren’t offered as a choice. America’s Charities Snapshot 2017 3/10 employees who don’t give through their workplace giving program say they are not giving because the causes they care about aren’t offered as a choice Click To Tweet
Collaboration
According to London-based agency Radley Yeldar’s 2016 Fit for Purpose report (an index of the 100 top purpose-focused global brands) 83% of top purpose brands are showing strong collaboration across the board – from competitors to peers to start-ups to employees to consumers. 83% of top purpose brands show strong collaboration #CSR #purpose Click To Tweet
Millennials, Influencers and GenZ
The number one issue in the eyes of all young Americans surveyed was Civil Rights/Racial Discrimination (29%), followed by Gun Safety (22%), Immigration (21%) and Climate Change (21%) 2018 Cause and Social Influence’s Influencing Young America to Act Civil Rights/Racial Discrimination was the #1 issue in the eyes of all young Americans #socialimpact Click To Tweet
75% of millennials would take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company. 76% of Millennials consider a company’s social and environmental commitments when deciding where to work and nearly two-thirds (64%) won’t take a job if a potential employer doesn’t have strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices. 88% say their job is more fulfilling when they are provided opportunities to make a positive impact on social and environmental issues (vs. 74% U.S. average). 2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study 75% of millennials would take a pay cut to work for a socially responsible company #CSR #millennial Click To Tweet
Of consumers who follow digital influencers, 35% were engaged with a cause due to an influencer’s recommendation. Allison+Partners’ 2017 Influence Impact Report Of consumers who follow digital influencers, 35% were engaged with a cause due to an influencer’s recommendation. Click To Tweet
Brands As Activists
81% of tech professional think CEOs have a responsibility to speak up about issues that are important to society. Weber Shandwick
81% of tech professional think CEOs have a responsibility to speak up about issues that are important to society Click To Tweet
81% say business can be a force for positive social and environmental change. World Value Index 81% say business can be a force for positive social and environmental change. Click To Tweet
Americans expect companies to lead with Purpose: 78% of Americans believe companies must do more than just make money; they must positively impact society as well. 2018 Cone/Porter Novelli Purpose Study 78% of Americans believe companies must do more than just make money; they must positively impact society as well. Click To Tweet
50% of global consumers are “belief-driven” buyers, willing to buy a brand, switch from it or boycott it based on a brand’s stance on a controversial or social issue. 2017 Edelman Earned Brand Study 50% of global consumers will buy/switch/boycott a brand based on a controversial issue. Click To Tweet
Three out of four respondents agree a company can take actions to both increase profits and improve economic and social conditions in the community where it operates. 2017 Edelman Trust Barometer 3/4 of respondents agree a company can take actions to both increase profits and improve economic/social conditions in the community where it operates. Click To Tweet
People want businesses to help them live a simpler, balanced life that is rich with connections, and 80% say they are loyal to those who do. The Good Life (Sustainable Brands) 2017 80% are loyal to businesses that help them live a simpler, balanced life that is rich with connections. Click To Tweet
Business and Politics
36% say they trust business leaders to do what is right. World Value Index
63% of Americans are hopeful businesses will take the lead to drive social and environmental change moving forward, in the absence of government regulation. 2017 Cone Communications CSR Study 63% of Americans are hopeful businesses will take the lead to drive social and environmental change #CSR Click To Tweet Get even more stats
