They still don’t get it… With social impact becoming a key business driver and the future of business, it is still seen as a secondary thing by the majority of CEOs.
A recent survey conducted by Chief Executive andUSC Annenberg Center for Public Relations amongst CEOs showed that business leaders feel more pressure nowadays to speak about social issues but are afraid to so they stick to the most obvious communicative goal and that is to sell their products and services.
One positive thing about this is that approximately 40% of questioned CEOs understand the value of brand differentiation and communicating it. But besides this, the survey came out as very disappointing. The general misconception was that social impact and business are opposed to each other and that social impact can even be bad for your business. They still don’t get it…
While social impact is in fact the future of business.
It’s understandable that CEOs are afraid to speak out on social issues because it can potentially ruin your brand image and it’s difficult to do it the right way. But it’s becoming a thing that’s expected from CEOs as people are looking for change. Nowadays, 76% say CEOs should take initiative to change and not wait for government regulations.
It’s important to notice that social impact actions aren’t just for brands but also people and companies. What we all can agree on is that CEOs have the responsibility to look to the future, set the plan and put their vision forward. This is not easy in a constantly changing, uncertain and result-driven world.
This is why brands are implementing social impact, since it provides fundamental benefits while making a difference in the world.