In recent years, consumers and restaurateurs alike have grown more conscious about their communities, advocacies, and the environment. In turn, more and more of these customers and businesses have made decisions in light of a growing awareness about these various issues.
These restaurant CSR efforts are not just limited to the hip farm-to-table restaurant in town; big F&B/foodservice brands such as Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Chipotle have made values like “sustainability” and “inclusivity” pillars of their companies.
Companies have termed this kind of socially-conscious, and independent way of conducting business as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). While CSR programs not new, businesses around the world are increasingly becoming more involved in creating profitable enterprises that preserve the environment and proper ethics.
Why Should You Consider CSR?
Restaurant CSR helps public perception of your brand by showing your customers, employees, and colleagues that you care about them, and the wider world that surrounds us.
70% of consumers want to know how the brands they support are doing their part in social and environmental issues, and 46% keep these in mind when making purchasing decisions.
For your employees, business strategies that incorporate Corporate Social Responsibility create a positive workplace that makes work feel meaningful: something that becomes increasingly more important to millennials than “professional recognition”.
Employees are more productive at work when you give them the chance to contribute to their passions and when you incorporate their advocacies with their work. For restaurants, these can result in better service and an overall lighter and more positive atmosphere for everyone.
What Do Consumers Think?
Customers expect restaurants to commit to causes that are aligned with their business activities, such as supporting local farmers, practicing proper recycling and composting initiatives, and phasing out non-recyclable plastic.
The modern consumer now seeks businesses out that engage in socially responsible practices because the purchase of goods and services from socially responsible businesses becomes an extension of their values, a meaningful action in itself towards a better future.
Starbucks first invested in this business model back in 2008, and since have had great success. Their commitment to social responsibility goes beyond PR stunts, and it works. Starbucks has since developed its own foundation, providing training opportunities for youth in some communities, as well as offering scholarships to their employees.
The projects that Starbucks continuously incorporates towards their social responsibility can be viewed in their annual Global Responsibility Report. Their report highlights the impact that they contribute globally, as well as their sustainability projects for the upcoming year.
What else can you do to implement restaurant CSR?
Implementing impactful restaurant CSR programs is no easy feat; not to mention, it can sometimes be costly. Doing this for your business doesn’t have to be at the Starbucks level. Here are some simple ways you may do to start doing this for your business:
1. Uphold strict ethical standards and transparency.
Ensuring proper compensation for your employees is a priority. Asking if your stakeholders are on board with the strategies and methods your company is practicing should also be prioritized. Transparency with everyone involved is a must.
2. Give employees incentives for their hard work.
Plan a motivational work scheme for your employees. Make them feel appreciated and let them know that their work is important. This will also foster feelings of loyalty towards your company.
You can do so by having simple celebrations at the end of every month to recognize standout employees, or create an incentive program for your staff. That way, your workers can feel their efforts materialize in the form of extra pay. No matter what your approach is, it’s important that you do enough to make your staff feel like their efforts pay off.
3. Allow your company to be a place where people can learn.
Invest in your employees. Letting them attend training and workshops will help your business in the long run. Additionally, allowing them to link their advocacies to the workplace will help foster a better relationship with the company.
4. Be conscious about your waste.
This can manifest itself in many ways – from encouraging customers to use reusable containers, to consciously doing the 3 R’s (reuse, reduce, recycle). It may seem like a no-brainer, but most companies still employ bad habits when it comes to managing their waste.
For the restaurant industry, food waste contributes to increased costs, additional labor, and decreased revenue. Moreover, food waste also contribute significantly to climate change, as discarded food ends up in landfills and release greenhouse gasses.
Nobody likes a company that cannot manage their own waste. Remember that the more your business grows, the more it will have the capacity to contribute to what gets thrown in the landfill. Start early, and offset negative impacts to the environment.
Manage your inventory and ensure that you aren’t stocking up in too much food. As much as possible, keep what you only need to operate. Use a proper inventory manager to keep track of your stock and replenish when necessary. That way, you can minimize waste while keeping your ingredients fresh.
5. Give back to the community and donate.
Even as a small business, you can still have the capacity to do philanthropic deeds. Reach out to organizations and strike a partnership. Alternatively, you can also join activities such as cleaning drives, or sponsoring a community kitchen for a day.
Find out what you can do to help in your local area. Giving back to your community says a lot about your company’s sincerity for social causes. You can even do something as simple as having a separate donation jar for the cause you are supporting.
Support Causes You Truly Care About
Restaurant CSR programs should never feel like a burden, otherwise you’re doing something wrong. There is always an advocacy worth supporting, a cause you want to help with.
CSR programs are meant to be a way to show your restaurant’s commitment to those causes, so it’s important that if you decide on a CSR program, you do it with integrity and sincerity. After all, it’s sincerity that really makes these CSR strategies work!