MATCHMAKER

×

Looking for a Public Relations Agency? Use our Free matching service to find the right agency for you.

User login

Can we deliver business growth by adding social value?

By Lisa Jones, Divisional Director, and Sabina Mack, PR, Communications, and Social Media Assistant at spottydog communications.

As a society, our trust in experts, government and business is weakening, fuelling our demand for brands that are demonstrably authentic and honest.  This has led to an increased focus on brand reputation in the boardroom. The outcome has been a surge in pressure to demonstrate social value. This is coming from all stakeholders – investors, government, employees, suppliers, customers and consumers.

At spottydog communications, we are seeing that clients are investing more in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, employee brand propositions and grassroots engagement. Market-leading and challenger brands all now recognise the need to make a positive contribution to society and the environment.

So, as we develop our three-year plan, we are considering how this focus can provide us with opportunities to do more great work, attract new clients, enhance our service offer and improve our own employer brand. 

Our work in the energy and manufacturing sectors is focused on encouraging and disseminating innovation and research that will save energy, reduce carbon emissions and promote renewables. By engaging their stakeholders through creative communications, we can help our clients influence and accelerate the adoption of greener technologies. And through this work, we hope to work with more companies in these sectors, who are planning to invest in activity that delivers more benefits to society.

Millennials admire companies that have a purpose, so whether they are consuming products, or looking for a job, they will be attracted to a company that shares their values. Video and animation that can convey these values are now the go-to solution, helping our clients tell their brand story and showcase their CSR activities. We’ll be looking at how we can further strengthen our graphic design and video services to meet this demand.

We’ve also noticed that our clients’ employees are keen to understand what social value they can add through their work, and what contribution the work of the whole team or company is making to society. This will be key to retention and recruitment, which is why we also see opportunities to grow our internal communications services, to help companies bring this purpose to life.

Which brings us to our own team, and employer brand. Our mission is to create best of breed communications, delivered by pedigree people. To attract and develop the best people, we must demonstrate how they can add purpose to the work they do. By working with more innovative, socially-responsible clients and tailoring our service offer, we can provide our staff with more opportunities to make a difference to broader society.

In this way, we will create a sustainable business plan for the next three years. That will mean we can create new jobs and support more future talent through our paid placement and intern schemes. And that will ultimately add even more social value.