Socially Conscious Business Strategies To Support Your Community

They say no man (or woman) is an island. This is no less true in business than in life; we are all connected, and this connection is essential for the wellbeing and survival of every individual— and yes, of every business. For a business to truly thrive, it has a responsibility to reach out to others and help them succeed. In this simple guide, learn how you can contribute to the success of individuals and businesses (and support your community in the process).

Here are 6 socially conscious business strategies and mantras to live by.

1. Support Local Businesses

Your business is part of the community; as you grow, so do the businesses surrounding you. Be a trailblazer by developing a vision for a stronger community and inspiring others to work towards that vision. 

• Initiate free online events designed to help local businesses thrive and grow. These events can be monthly, or they may be one-offs. The point is to start a conversation that educates other businesses and helps them thrive.
• Provide local businesses with hands-on assistance, access to free tools, and special offers that can enhance their operations.
• Invest in local commercial space and staff to support your community directly.

2. An Engaged Community is a Strong Community

Leverage traditional and new communication techniques to engage your community and customers innovatively.  The goal here is to facilitate a means for clear and open communication— should anyone have an issue that you are most suitable to address, they need tools that allow them to reach out to you.

• Provide a dedicated web page that helps local businesses get up-to-date information on current issues, news and changes that impact them.
• Elevate the community by making good use of your social media channels to promote black-owned, women-owned, and local businesses.
• Leverage AI and chat bots on your platform to ensure that any questions or inquiries can always be addressed. 

3. Collaboration is The Cornerstone of Communal Growth

Collaboration is crucial no matter the goal or objective. Working collaboratively to attain a goal builds team spirit, combining talents of traditionally separate units. It also fosters partnerships with other businesses.

• Make exclusive offers to small businesses in your community to grow and expand through partnerships you have established with other companies.
• Collaborate with Canadian-based companies to give customers access to practical solutions for their businesses.
• Work with other local businesses to increase their exposure and offer opportunities for start-ups and businesses to learn from them.

4. The Love Must Start at Home

Apart from the business community, your business must stay committed to improving the lives of their employees. Your employees are your greatest advocates; they are your supporters, and most often, they are the members of your community.

Fostering good relationships with your employees from a community standpoint offers them the comfort of knowing that you not only have their backs, but their families' as well.

• Hire locally. This uplifts your community by providing employment and all the benefits it offers.
• Show your employees that you care about their wellbeing. Organize activities that focus on physical and mental wellness, such as yoga and mindfulness meditation.  
• Create an inspiring office culture. A ping-pong or pool table revitalizes your employees’ energy and gives them a fun opportunity to interact with their team members. This raises morale and boosts productivity and creativity at the workplace. Another way to increase staff motivation is to organize competitions and award activities, as well as events to celebrate holidays that matter to them. 

5. It's Not Always about The Bottom Line

Your business needs to contribute to your community's quality of life and elevate its social, cultural, and economic fabric. But commitment and responsibility aren’t confined to business; their impact can be social, cultural, or environmental.

• Contribute to local causes. 
• Find ways for your business to support regional police, paramedics, and other frontline workers.
• Minimize your business’s environmental impact by choosing eco-friendly packaging, products, and solutions. Fo eco-friendly packaging you can contact Arka and check out the top-notch custom shipping boxes or mailer boxes they create! Endeavour to reduce your carbon footprint, limit waste, and keep harmful substances out of our natural spaces.

6. Focus on The Youth, Newcomers, and New Entrepreneurs

Help the youth, newcomers, or new entrepreneurs thrive in your business community by investing time to mentor, teach, coach, and develop excellence in others.

• Hire immigrants and newcomers. Invest in them by training them and giving them their first break in the Canadian job market. The new hires often end up renting or buying a property in your city to stay closer to work.
• Conduct online workshops to educate members of the community. This engages them and presents them with new opportunities for growth. 
• Offer new entrepreneurs and small businesses discounts that help support them in their journey towards growth.

As we celebrate our 22nd year anniversary at eShipper, we reflect on our journey and how we have helped— and continue to help— our community. We’re proud to support local, black-owned and women-owned businesses, and we’re always excited to assist new eCommerce ventures in enhancing the shipping and fulfillment aspect of their operations. Our collaborations and partnerships with Google Shopping, AMZ Prep, and others have helped small local businesses grow, and our continued focus on hiring locally and giving employment opportunities to newcomers plays a tangible role in uplifting the community. 

If there’s anything we’ve learned since the pre-pandemic world, it is that we need to seek out ways to beat seemingly insurmountable odds. The pandemic has imposed immensely difficult challenges on individuals and businesses worldwide, but it has also given our company the opportunity to support regional and provincial health authorities with tons of PPE needed to protect Canadian frontline workers. The pandemic is far from over, but in the meantime we will continue to do what we can to support those around us. 

At eShipper, we have many reasons to celebrate— not just on our anniversary, but everyday. When we support our community, everybody wins. We hope you’ll be inspired to do the same!