Csr Burts Bees

Corporate Social Responsibility: A Look at Burt’s Bees

Jennifer Amos

Onondaga Community College

Corporate social responsibility: A Look at Burt’s Bees

Corporate social responsibility has many different definitions depending on who you ask, and where you are in the country when you ask. To me, corporate social responsibility is the process in which a company manages the business process to produce an overall positive impact on society. In that regard I believe that Burt’s Bee’s has been quite successful in achieving a great corporate social responsibility.

Since its inception in the early 1980’s, Burt’s Bees mission has been “We make people’s lives better every day – naturally” (Burt’s Bees / Our story n.d.). What better way to establish a social and environmental responsibility than to begin with its own employees. Burt’s provides its employees with a dedicated team of employees that host environmental education sessions, a monthly in-house ECO-Web newsletter, and a “Lunch and Learn” program that covers topics such as energy offsets and carpooling(Burt’s Bees Our commitment n.d.). Employees at Burt’s also spend approximately thirty hours training in environmental stewardship, social outreach, natural wellness, and leadership programs (3BL Media, 2011). These comprehensive workday programs known as “Live the Greater Good”, help to involve all employees in sustainable practices both at home and work.

Burt’s Bees was so committed to giving back to their communities that in 2007 they established The Burt’s Bees Greater Good Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization. Since its launch they have made $1,200,000 in grants through The Burt’s Bees Greater Good Foundation. (www.BurtsBees.com). Companies that benefit from these grants are typically groups that focus on eliminating the root cause of social and environmental problems. Some recipients include Habitat for Humanity, Renewable Choice Energy, The National Arbor...