Circle of…CSR

This week Disney will release its live action rendition of The Lion King. The release comes 25 years after the original animated version. It is full of wonderful CGI animals and tells the story of your favorite characters Simba, Nala, and the gang played by celebrities Donald Glover, Beyonce, and James Earl Jones reprising his role as Mufasa.

With this release, Disney is simultaneously launching the Protect the Pride global conservation campaign benefitting the Lion Recovery Fund. According to Disney, since the launch of the original Lion King movie in 1994, the lion population in Africa has declined by half. The Protect the Pride campaign aims to raise money and awareness by giving Disney fans a chance to contribute by purchasing special edition Nala and Simba plush toys, by riding the Kilimanjaro Safaris Expedition at Walt Disney World, and other exciting ways . Disney has already donated over $1.5 million to the Lion Recovery Fund and is hoping to increase this to $3 million with this campaign. 

Disney has made the Forbes list of top companies in CSR several times, and it should come as no surprise to Disney, as the company holds CSR central to its core functions. Other top companies with notable CSR programs are Lego, Microsoft, Google, and Nintendo — all who have made contributions to society in meaningful and creative ways. 

“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.” -Warren Buffett

With social media, just as easy as it is to make the list of top companies in CSR, it is also easy to quickly lose points. This is true especially with Millennials, who hold CSR close to their hearts. As a matter of fact, Millennials expect CSR to be a component of the companies they shop with. Apple lost points a few years ago when it refused to cooperate with the FBI and unlock iPhones in connection with a terrorist shooting in San Bernardino, California, while Google has been under fire due to sexual misconduct and the gap between men and women in executive positions.

So how impactful is CSR with Millennials? Very. At this time, CSR is one of the best opportunities to improve sales. By 2020, Millennials will make up 35% of the workforce, so if a company wants to be relevant, a great CSR program is essential. Companies like Disney, who appeal to Millennials with their efforts in sustainability and special causes are a great example. In order to have an exceptional CSR program, companies can begin by taking inventory of their current programs, and choose causes that have a connection to what they represent and the work they do. The key is for a  company to position itself to be seen as a leader or more simply put, to be a king of CSR.