College Kids Give Their Top Picks For Socially Responsible Brands

The green lifestyle may have been spearheaded by the boomers of America (think Al Gore), but it's the next generation (think college kids or those ranging in age from 18-30) that are making eco-friendly living a priority and using their cash to support their beliefs. A recent survey by New York-based Alloy Media & Marketing found that 41 percent of students intend to spend their money only with "socially responsible" brands.

First, let's be clear about what the term "socially responsible" means. It's an often used buzz word that typically trails behind terms such as eco-friendly, green living, etc. For the purposes of the above survey, socially responsible companies employed the following tactics:

-Regularly/consistently donate money to a charity/cause.
-Use eco-friendly business practices.
-Fair labor practices.
-Social messages incorporated into advertising (Nike is sooo good at this).
-Supporting diversity in the workplace.

Yep, that sounds about right. But, I would also add that a company's core values and mission statement would be slanted in a more socially responsible way. Companies that typically fall into the "socially responsible" category often make sure that their corporate culture is aligned with living responsibly both professionally and as a corporate entity. This focus trickles down to employees and then, customers. It's a rather fabulous way to do business, don't you think?

In Alloy's survey, students went on to identify their top picks for socially responsible retailers. Check out their choices below:

-Nike: Shoes & Apparel
-Toyota: Automotive
-Yoplait: Food & Beverage (this one took me by surprise, but the company does donate 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for every returned yogurt lid...)
-Target: General Retail
-Burt's Bees: Personal Care

Nike and Burt's Bees are a given--their products and company culture embody social responsibility. Who would you nominate as a socially responsible general retailer? Food and beverage company? Leave your nominations here!

--Heather Strang

Comments

[Brooke Nelson]

I'm going to have to go with IKEA... especially in light of their decision to "bag the plastic bag" in their US locations. As a huge company their footprint will be huge, but they minimize where they can.

[Matt Whitmire]

I would have to say Patagonia beats all of the above. They only produce jackets and other clothing in a certain umber of colors because dyes are so harmful. They have been pursuing these practices for years...way before it became vogue to do so.