Corporate Social Responsibility And The Activist Consumer

With little sign of a rapid rebound in the global economy

, it appears as if weve collectively reached something of an impasse. Politicians of all partiers appear to have little in the way of bold new ideas to revitalise economic performance and empower working people, clinging instead to the dogma of previous decades in the forlorn hope the current crisis will simply blow over and we can eventually return to normal. However, the deepening wealth inequalities we have seen in many developed western countries and the corrosive effects they have on the democratic process have given rise to alternative forms of activism, while the increased dissemination of information has made the public at large more aware of social issues in the wider world.

A key development of recent years has been consumer activism. Although this isnt an entirely new phenomenon, increasing awareness of local, national and global issues has been fuelled in large part by the internet and the increased availability of news and comment. Consumers are now more eager than in previous years to deploy their purchasing power or the threat of its withdrawal as a crucial weapon in forcing big business hand when it comes to changing objectionable corporate practices. The enduring and growing popularity of the Fairtrade campaign, in spite of widespread financial uncertainty, is testament to the power of the activist consumer.

What we have also seen is increasing awareness of the importance of corporate social responsibility. Now that it is relatively easy to spread news across the world quickly, businesses have become increasingly sensitive to the way in which they are perceived by consumers. Although its often claimed that consumers place ethical concerns a distant second - at best - to their own financial constraints, this is a risk that corporations are increasingly unwilling to take. Corporate social responsibility can take numerous forms, including the promotion of social goals in developing countries or supporting initiatives in communities across the UK.

There is also a school of thought which suggests that appealing to businesses sense of corporate social responsibility is a more effective way of bringing about real change in their practices than taking complaints directly to politicians many of whom, of course, are heavily dependent on corporate funding. This line of argument speculates that where politicians are unwilling to act against the interests of their corporate backers, these businesses are themselves more likely to see the error of their ways if they are put under pressure by activist consumers.

by: Alan Trotter

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