Social responsibility is a huge priority for consumers. According to Harvard Business, “87% of consumers are motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place.” Consumers vote with their wallets, supporting businesses that align with their beliefs and social missions. They are willing to choose brands that stand up for issues they care about.
Ecommerce brands are using strategies like social good initiatives, supporting charities, and being politically active to retain customers. Today, customers demand authenticity and positive impact from brands. This includes everything from how products are made, distributed, and sold to how businesses treat their employees and communities.
This shift is driven by generational values, especially as Gen Z becomes a key target market for advertisers. Customers no longer want to be just sold to; they want to engage with brands that care about both their business and the world.
To illustrate this, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 best socially responsible initiatives from various brands and industries that keep customers coming back.
5 Examples of Social Responsibility as a Customer Retention Tool
#1 Jungalow
Jungalow is a lifestyle brand offering a wide range of home decor and goods, from rugs to art prints and more. It began in 2009 as a design blog by owner and founder Justina Blakeney. Jungalow aims to inspire customers to tap into their creativity, connect with nature, and bring good vibes into their homes. From the moment you visit Jungalow’s site, you can feel the fun, artistic vibe that each product embodies, making it a unique and engaging shopping experience.
Jungalow supports various organizations through its profits such as the ACLU, Black Lives Matter, Girls Who Code, and so many others. One way customers are included in giving back is through Jungalow’s partnership with the nonprofit Trees for the Future. “Each time you shop with us, you will support this mission. At least two trees are planted with every single order. Through our “Trees For The Future” initiative, with your help, we have planted over 98,000 trees (& counting!)” states Jungalow’s website.
Jungalow is a lifestyle brand offering a wide range of home decor and goods, from rugs to art prints and more. It began in 2009 as a design blog by owner and founder Justina Blakeney. Jungalow aims to inspire customers to tap into their creativity, connect with nature, and bring good vibes into their homes. From the moment you visit Jungalow’s site, you can feel the fun, artistic vibe that each product embodies, making it a unique and engaging shopping experience.
#2 Mermaid Straw
Mermaid Straw is an eco-friendly company that started with sustainable straws and has expanded into other environmentally-friendly products. With every purchase, Mermaid Straw informs customers about the positive impact they are making on the environment. The company’s mission is to educate people about the harmful effects of single-use plastic on the environment, ocean, and wildlife.
Mermaid Straw’s Beach Club is their loyalty program that rewards customers for purchases, social actions, and celebrating birthdays. This program has helped build a community that values not only the products but also the company’s commitment to sustainability.
Intersecting their rewards program and their mission has allowed Mermaid Straw to make customers feel part of that world-changing mission by encouraging beach cleanups in different communities. Every product a customer buys contributes towards something good.
#3 Who Gives a Crap
Who Gives a Crap is on a mission to provide quality toilet paper that does good in the world. They offer 100% bamboo toilet paper, paper towels, tissue paper, and cloths. Who Gives a Crap donates 50% of its profits to clean water and sanitation nonprofits, and their products are 100% plastic-free. This brand exemplifies how a product can be built around a social mission and foster a community of people who want to make a positive impact.
Who Gives a Crap effectively ties a social mission to its products. It’s easy for customers to support a good cause when they’re buying items they use every day. Show your customers that their everyday purchases can make a positive difference in the world.
#4 Cloud Paper
Cloud Paper is crystal clear about its mission to save the planet. As another toilet paper brand, it’s 100% bamboo-based with recycled and plastic-free packaging, and it offers carbon-neutral deliveries. From the moment you visit their website, it’s clear what you’re getting (and supporting) when you make a purchase from Cloud Paper. Their mission is straightforward: “Our mission is to save one billion trees, and every person that makes the switch to bamboo helps us get there.”
Cloud Paper has garnered a dedicated following as it expands into grocery stores offline. The brand invites customers to join its mission by letting them know that their purchase is contributing to something bigger than just profit.
#5 Girls Who Grind Coffee
If there is one brand changing perspectives and leading in the coffee industry it is Girls Who Grind Coffee. They are “a womxn-led, anti-patriarchy specialty coffee roastery and rebellion movement.” They source all of their coffees exclusively from women producers and donate 10% of their sale price back to the roasters through their Cheek to Cheek initiative. They have raised more than £10,000 to date. The idea is to compensate the female roasters for using their image and story.
Girls Who Grind Coffee doesn’t hold back on who they are and what they stand for, and this authenticity has helped them build a strong community of coffee lovers who share their values. Through their loyalty program, GWGC Rewards, customers earn exclusive loyalty points on purchases, getting 6 GWGC Points for every £1 spent. Additionally, customers can refer their friends and earn a £5 off coupon for each referral.
Supporting women and staying true to their beliefs is a core aspect of Girls Who Grind Coffee’s brand identity. This clarity makes it easy for their customers to understand the company’s priorities.
