Why Corporate Responsibility Matters in 2024

Why does Corporate Social Responsibility Matter?

In recent years, the idea of social responsibility has become prevalent in our world. We want to make sure to care for people who need it, offer fair opportunities to everyone, and protect our planet. The conversation surrounding individual social responsibility goes hand-in-hand with the idea of corporate responsibility—not only do individuals need to act responsibly, but businesses do, too. Since corporations have such a strong influence over the way we spend our money and socialize, a large responsibility falls on them to set the standard for responsible action.

Corporate social responsibility can take many different forms. To define it simply, corporate social responsibility refers to the actions a company takes to support the planet and the people who live on it. It’s how they care for their employees, give to nonprofits, spend their money, and steward their resources. This looks different for every company, and it can vary based on each company’s specific mission and goals.

A company’s socially responsible actions also depend on the size of the business. Small businesses should always do what they can to be responsible with the money and influence they have, but large corporations have more resources and therefore a greater opportunity to create change!

Corporate Social Responsibility: Diversity and Inclusion

We’ve seen a lot of shifting in the corporate world when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Businesses have set standards for themselves when it comes to hiring and team building. This is a huge step forward—diversity allows people of all genders, racial backgrounds, physical abilities, health conditions, economic statuses, lifestyles, and cultures to bring their unique perspectives and insights to a company. 

New perspectives mean fresh ideas, increased creativity, and broadened problem-solving skills. When all of your team members come from similar backgrounds, your scope of understanding certain problems is limited: there might be sides to the issue that you don’t see. Diversity not only helps your business, but it helps your team. Working with a diverse group of people allows your team to grow in their empathy for people whose lives are different from their own.

Implementing diversity and inclusion also helps your team to see that you value their well-being. When your team members see you taking the initiative to seek out underrepresented groups, they’ll know you care to hear what they have to say.

Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility

While the makeup of your team affects your company more directly, it can be easier to overlook the corporate responsibility to run a sustainable business. In general, it’s easy for us to overlook issues that don’t directly affect our daily lives. But as we know, it will take action to subdue the effects of climate change. Since corporations contribute such a high percentage of the carbon emissions on Earth (in fact, just 100 companies contribute 71% of global carbon emissions), companies must be accountable.

There are many ways that businesses can take charge of sustainability and corporate responsibility. Below are the biggest ways to help your team to work sustainably:

• Make sure your office recycles materials as frequently as possible. Whether it’s paper handouts, boxes for shipping, vending machine bottles, or product materials, recycling keeps waste out of landfills and gives things a new purpose. Recycling also helps you reduce the number of new materials you consume at your company. 
• Encourage your team to bring reusable custom water bottles, personalized coffee mugs, corporate reusable tumblers, and custom food containers to work. Why throw five water bottles in the recycling bin this week when you could use one larger bottle that will actually keep your water cold?
• Rideshare or carpool to the office! If you know that you live near a team member or two, reach out and ask if they’re willing to share a ride. The fewer cars on the road, the less carbon you’ll emit. Plus, you can get to know your coworkers better! A similar option: work from home!

Sustainability Next Steps: Become a Carbon Neutral Business

If you want to step up your corporate responsibility and sustainability practices, we have a challenge for you: go carbon neutral! When a business goes carbon neutral, this means they take action to offset the carbon they emit into the atmosphere: they will complete projects that remove the same amount of carbon that they produce. 

Did You Know Zusa is a Certified Carbon-Neutral Brand? 

Merchology’s own custom corporate workwear brand, Zusa, is officially certified as a carbon-neutral business! We’re thrilled to take this step forward as a team, and we’re excited to see the changes this certification brings. 

It’s been the vision of Zusa apparel to operate sustainably from the beginning. A large percentage of Zusa’s logo-branded clothing and corporate gifts are made from recycled materials. Now, we’re happy to report that, as a brand, Zusa is doing its part to bring climate change to a halt. It was a commitment we were determined to make, and we’re so glad we did. 

Shop Custom Sustainable Workwear

Want to support a carbon-neutral business and shop high-quality logo-branded workwear for your team? Shop Zusa’s sustainable workwear! We have everything you need to outfit your team members. Below are some of our favorite Zusa custom workwear basics. Stay on-trend and eco-friendly!

Zusa Men's Black Everyday Pique Polo

Looking for everyday custom polos for your team? The custom Zusa Men’s Black Everyday Pique Polo has the comfort and durability of a quality cotton-polyester blend available in some of the most popular basic polo color options! We’ll add your logo so your team can take pride in your brand in and out of the office!

Zusa Men's Charcoal Heather Brisk Quarter Zip

The comfort of a solid quarter zip is hard to beat: it’s a convenient piece for light layering in chilly offices or brisk weather. The logo-branded Zusa Men’s Charcoal Heather Brisk Quarter Zip is suited for your active team members, whether they’re walking to the office or heading to the gym after work. Your logo will stand out on the sleeve or chest of this custom quarter zip!

Zusa White Sidekick Water Bottle 20 oz

If you want to help your team avoid plastic waste, a custom reusable water bottle is a great move! The branded Zusa Sidekick Water Bottle is made of recycled plastic equal to eight single-use water bottles! Available in white, black, and navy, this double-wall insulated water bottle can keep beverages hot for 10 hours and cold for 20! We’ll laser engrave your company’s logo, and you’ll have the perfect employee appreciation or giveaway gift!

Zusa Navy Swift Athletic Cap

The classic style of this custom cap and its breathable athletic material make the logo-branded Zusa Navy Swift Athletic cap a versatile logo-branded option for your team! It’s comfortable and breathable for a day out on the golf course or an outdoor company event. We’ll embroider your logo on the front of this classic unstructured cap, and you can gift it to your employees, clients, and fans. If that wasn’t enough, this custom cap is also made of 100% recycled polyester twill!

As you can see, corporate responsibility reaches all areas of a company’s operation, from diversity and inclusion to sustainable practices to responsible shopping. It’s important that we all do our part to take on corporate responsibility so we can make the world a better place.

Contact Us at Merchology!

Want to learn more about sustainable workwear that makes a difference? Our Merchologists are here to answer any questions you have about Zusa’s carbon neutral certification as well as our custom logo-branded sustainable workwear options!