In a tumultuous time for politics in the UK, many businesses may be trying to watch their step in order to avoid saying the wrong thing for fear of losing out on customers.
While it’s important to not offend potential customers with a particularly strong political stance, does that mean you shouldn’t get involved with any activism? Here are some of our thoughts on why taking part in activism may not be that bad for business after all.
Why your business should be involved in activism
With more consumers taking note of what they buy, and many making the effort to source products sustainably, it’s more important for businesses to take an interest in how they source goods.
Becoming involved in activism can also do more than make your brand more popular. Creating a work environment that cares about important issues can be a very rewarding and desirable place to work for employees. You may even rub off some of your activism into their home life, so don’t underestimate your business’ power.
How to get involved
If you’re keen to start getting involved in activism but aren’t sure where to start, a great way to begin is to find organisations you believe in on social media. You can send out a message and express your interest in their organisation and even suggest holding a fundraiser or, if you have the time, a company day dedicated to raising money for their cause.
You should also look to your current suppliers. Do you know what their company ethics are? Get in touch and ask them. You may even spur them into considering how they source their own materials.
How to avoid damaging your brand
The main worry for businesses who wish to take part in activism but don’t, is that they’ll damage their brand image by showing opinion.
The truth is that you may lose some customers by showing a stance on any issue. However, you may also gain more loyal and valuable customers at the same time, which is equally as important.
Boris Zatezic is the founder of MuLondon, a skin care company that focuses on ethically sourced ingredients. We spoke to Boris to get his view on whether activism is important for small businesses.
What charities or non-profit organisations does your business support?
BZ: “We’re proud to have a number of certifications and endorsements from companies and organisations whose work we admire.
Our skin care range is certified organic by the Soil Association, cruelty-free by the Leaping Bunny and registered vegan by The Vegan Society. MuLondon is the first UK skin care company to become a Certified B Corporation and to join 1% For The Planet. We also work with PETA, Viva!, Naturewatch Foundation, Green America, The Vegetarian Society, Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, Choose Cruelty Free Australia and SAFE New Zealand.
By being a registered Humane Company, we pledge not to support any charities that fund animal testing. Privately, we also support Compassion in World Farming and Animal Aid. It is important for us to give back – and our membership in 1% For The Planet shows our customers that a minimum of 1% of all our sales goes to environmental non-profits.”
Do you think it’s important for small businesses to get involved with activism?
BZ: “It’s important for everyone to get involved with activism, especially now. From big companies to small enterprises, all the way to individual consumers. We need to show what we stand for and what we believe in.
We are working towards a more inclusive and sustainable way of doing business. From carefully choosing our ingredients and suppliers, formulating and manufacturing our skin care products, sales, finances and marketing – we want to have a positive impact on everyone involved.
Our desire is to show that effective skin care products can be made without using any animal ingredients or animal testing, with the utmost respect for the environment and the entire supply chain. Every choice and every purchase matter.”
Is your business involved in activism or politics? Share your thoughts in the comment section below!