Good Works: What Do Successful Chains Owe In Return?
TWH had to spend a few hours at the office this past Saturday morning. After we dropped him off there, Baby A and I went on a little date at a nearby Starbucks. The store had posted a short article about Starbucks' rollout of newly designed paper cups containing 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber.
I looked at the fine print on my cup, and, sure enough, it said, "Made with 10% post-consumer recycled fiber." Cool.
Starbucks claims this change will save some five million pounds of virgin tree fiber in just the first year. A pamphlet on the fixins' counter goes on to tout the company's work environment (including tuition reimbursement and adoption benefits), using sustainable trade and Fair Trade certified coffee, workplace and location diversity, and other areas of social responsibility.
Personally, I feel successful companies do owe some good works back to the people and communities...
that made it successful. That means treating employees like gold (with health benefits, child care assistance, free uniforms, comped or reduced-cost meals, and so on), providing loyalty rewards to regular customers ("every tenth cup is free"), and good business practices (support of local or organic farming, using Fair Trade certified products, donating money or goods to local schools).
Corollary: Doing such good works can help a company become successful in the first place. For instance, happy employees mean less turnover, which is a huge cost. And doing good things leads to great PR.
So where do you fall on the range? Are the big chains obligated to do some good works? Or is it enough when they simply provide decent products and jobs? Please comment and let me know. This is a topic I want to revisit often.