Comments on: Read Seventh Generation’s CSR Report and Win $5,000 http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/12/read-seventh-generation%e2%80%9aaos-csr-report-and-win-5000/ Business, Better. Since 2005 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:33:24 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Martin Smith http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/12/read-seventh-generation%e2%80%9aaos-csr-report-and-win-5000/comment-page-1/#comment-10065 Martin Smith Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:10:21 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2008/12/read-seventh-generation%e2%80%9aaos-csr-report-and-win-5000/#comment-10065 I work with JustMeans and would love to hear ideas on how to make this contest better and what functionality we should add. We are working on a number of similar contests with other companies and would love to get input on how users think we could crowdsource CSR strategy. Thanks for your input. I work with JustMeans and would love to hear ideas on how to make this contest better and what functionality we should add. We are working on a number of similar contests with other companies and would love to get input on how users think we could crowdsource CSR strategy. Thanks for your input.

]]> By: Jess S. http://www.triplepundit.com/2008/12/read-seventh-generation%e2%80%9aaos-csr-report-and-win-5000/comment-page-1/#comment-10064 Jess S. Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:23:49 +0000 http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/2008/12/read-seventh-generation%e2%80%9aaos-csr-report-and-win-5000/#comment-10064 Your reaction to Seventh Generation's attempt at CSR engagement is an interesting one. I can see where you're coming from; in some sense, the contest <em>is</em> a form of bribery. All marketing is, after all.<br /><br /> But having just written an advice-driven post on CSR/sustainability reports for smaller organizations, I'm inclined to see this contest in a different light. By soliciting feedback about Seventh Generation's own actions, they are doing valuable research that may help drive the company's decision-making process. There are tons of lessons they can learn from this, such as:<br /><br /> <b>Which of the company's actions resonate with readers.</b> This can help guide future plans.<br /><br /> <b>Which actions fell short.</b> This can tell them both what their customers <em>aren't</em> as concerned with, as well as where the company needs to strengthen its messaging to better communicate their own methods and/or results.<br /><br /> <b>Soliciting new ideas,</b> which you've already addressed.<br /><br /> ...and so on. I think this is one of those examples of positive reinforcement - you can call it bribery and you wouldn't be wrong, but the results can be incredibly valuable to both Seventh Generation and their customers.<br /><br /> (And for what it's worth, here's <a href="http://www.roughstockstudios.com/RoughstockBlog/2008/11/making-sustainability-reports-work-for.html" rel="nofollow">my post on producing CSR/sustainability reports for smaller organizations</a>.) Your reaction to Seventh Generation’s attempt at CSR engagement is an interesting one. I can see where you’re coming from; in some sense, the contest is a form of bribery. All marketing is, after all.

But having just written an advice-driven post on CSR/sustainability reports for smaller organizations, I’m inclined to see this contest in a different light. By soliciting feedback about Seventh Generation’s own actions, they are doing valuable research that may help drive the company’s decision-making process. There are tons of lessons they can learn from this, such as:

Which of the company’s actions resonate with readers. This can help guide future plans.

Which actions fell short. This can tell them both what their customers aren’t as concerned with, as well as where the company needs to strengthen its messaging to better communicate their own methods and/or results.

Soliciting new ideas, which you’ve already addressed.

…and so on. I think this is one of those examples of positive reinforcement – you can call it bribery and you wouldn’t be wrong, but the results can be incredibly valuable to both Seventh Generation and their customers.

(And for what it’s worth, here’s my post on producing CSR/sustainability reports for smaller organizations.)

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