COLUMBUS, Ga., Nov. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate
social responsibility (CSR) is most effective when associated with
a long term commitment compared to companies reacting to current
events. According to the first Aflac CSR Survey (ACSR), conducted
in August and September, 2015, 81 percent of respondents said they
are more likely to purchase from corporations that are active in
philanthropy regularly, such as establishing a defined
philanthropic cause, as opposed to corporate giving only during
times of need.
"Companies that give during tragedies or other current events
are helping the community and we not only applaud that, but we take
part in such charitable giving because it is the right thing to
do," Aflac Senior Vice President of
Corporate Communications Catherine
Blades said. "But in a purely business sense, our
study shows that consumers are most incentivized by a sustained
cause that demonstrates a long-term commitment."
In August and September of 2015, Aflac, the leading provider of
voluntary insurance in the United
States, conducted the first online Aflac Corporate Social
Responsibility (ACSR) study consisting of more than 6,000
individuals surveyed by Lightspeed GMI, an award-winning global
digital data collection enterprise. The company conducted the
study to generate scientific data to support or refute general
notions that currently exist in the CSAR space about what can move
the needle for consumers and investors.
The new survey also found that CSR and philanthropy are more top
of mind on a daily basis for millennials than those over 35 years
of age. Surprisingly, older generations, typically known for their
philanthropic work and activism (i.e. baby boomers, Gen Xers),
don't share the same sentiment toward CSR.
Overall, perspective on CSR varies between demographics and
stages of life. For example, more millennials (49 percent) than
non-millennials (36 percent) would donate a large portion of their
salary to a cause that has affected them or a loved one and live
modestly. When asked the same question, more parents (51 percent)
than non-parents (32 percent) would do the same.
Similar results supported the notion that millennials and
parents are more CSR conscious, including:
- Millennials (66 percent) and parents (69 percent) say they are
likely to invest in a company well-known for its CSR program
compared to non-millennials (48 percent) and non-parents (40
percent).
- Millennials (63 percent) and parents (67 percent) are more
trusting when asked if they feel corporations are genuine in their
CSR platforms than non-millennials (55 percent) and non-parents (49
percent).
- Millennials and parents (both 62 percent) believe companies are
trustworthy in their philanthropic efforts on social media,
compared to non-millennials (40 percent) and non-parents (34
percent).
- Millennials (69 percent) and parents (71 percent) ranked CSR as
a top priority with regard to their willingness to engage on a
company's social media channels compared to non-millennials (46
percent) and non-parents (40 percent).
"The patterns we are seeing in our inaugural ACSR study show how
lifestyle changes can impact perspective in ways similar to factors
like age and gender," Blades said. "For instance, data shows that
parents tend to view CSR and philanthropy through the eyes of their
children and have views similar to younger people. Data like this
can help inform a company's approach to creating and maintain an
effective CSR philosophy."
Over the past 20 years, Aflac has donated more than $100 million to the fight against childhood
cancer through its Duckprints program, making the company a leader
in successful CSR. Giving back is at the core of Aflac's operations
and is a key tenant crucial to overall success. The survey findings
support this approach.
All in all, consumers (86 percent) favor companies they believe
to be ethical. But it goes far beyond just looking ethical. Four
out of five respondents (81 percent) said they were more likely to
buy from a company whose philanthropic work was done consistently,
year-round – rather than those that activate only in times of need.
Further, 92 percent of millennials say they are more likely to
purchase from companies they perceive as ethical.
"We operate in an ecosystem that includes 80 million millennials
with an annual purchasing power of $200
billion who, due in part to having been informed by events
like the Enron collapse, banking scandals, and recession, view CSR
in a drastically different way than previous generations," Blades
said. "Our survey makes it clear: Successful companies will pay
attention not only to the emerging needs of millennials, but the
different way in which they view the world. To them, who you are is
as important, if not more important, than the products you
produce."
Other interesting statistics:
- 28 percent of consumers think of Oprah
Winfrey first when it comes to philanthropic work.
- Only 3 percent of consumers think of Madonna when it comes to
philanthropic work.
- 30 percent of consumers would enlist Angelina Jolie to help them raise funds for a
charity they cared about.
- Only 2 percent of consumers would enlist Kim Kardashian to help them raise funds for a
charity they cared about.
- When it comes to important philanthropic causes, consumers rank
Children's Health at No. 1.
- 60 percent of U.S. consumers ranked the Northeast as the most
generous region, and 77 percent ranked the Southwest as the least
generous.
View more information about the Aflac Corporate Social
Responsibility Survey at www.aflac.com/acsr.
Survey Methodology:
Research findings are based on a
survey fielded in the United
States between Aug. 18 and Sept. 2,
2015. For this survey, 6,000 respondents (2,000 nationally
representative and 400 within each of the top-10 DMAs) were asked
about their thoughts regarding various aspects of corporate social
responsibility. The study also surveyed 355 investment
professionals about how corporate social responsibility impacts
their decisions. The survey was completed through Lightspeed GMI's
Global Test Market double opted-in panelists who have registered to
participate in online surveys.
About Aflac:
When a policyholder gets sick or hurt,
Aflac pays cash benefits fast. For nearly six decades, Aflac
insurance policies have given policyholders the opportunity to
focus on recovery, not financial stress. In the United States, Aflac is the leading
provider of voluntary insurance at the work site. Through its
trailblazing One Day PaySM initiative, Aflac U.S. can
receive, process, approve and disburse payment for eligible claims
in one business day. In Japan,
Aflac is a leading provider of medical and cancer insurance and
insures 1 in 4 households. Aflac individual and group insurance
products help provide protection to more than 50 million people
worldwide. For nine consecutive years, Aflac has been recognized by
Ethisphere magazine as one of the World's Most Ethical Companies.
In 2015, Fortune magazine recognized Aflac as one of the 100 Best
Companies to Work For in America for the 17th consecutive year.
Also, in 2015, Fortune magazine included Aflac on its list of Most
Admired Companies for the 14th time, ranking the company No. 1 in
innovation for the insurance, life and health category. Aflac
Incorporated is a Fortune 500 company listed on the New York Stock
Exchange under the symbol AFL. To find out more about Aflac and One
Day PaySM, visit aflac.com or espanol.aflac.com.
About Lightspeed GMI:
Lightspeed GMI is an
award-winning global digital data collection enterprise. Founded in
1996, its innovative technology and proven sampling methodologies
deliver operational excellence throughout the online research
process. With more than 5.5 million online research respondents in
45 countries, Lightspeed GMI's proprietary panels deliver
unparalleled quality, capacity and targeting. Headquartered in
Warren, New Jersey, Lightspeed GMI
is part of the Kantar, the data investment management arm of WPP,
the world leader in marketing communication
services. www.lightspeedgmi.com.
Aflac herein means American Family Life Assurance Company of
Columbus and American Family Life
Assurance Company of New York.
Media contacts – Jon Sullivan,
706.763.4813 or jsullivan@aflac.com
Analyst and investor contact – Robin Y.
Wilkey, 706.596.3264 or 800.235.2667, FAX: 706.324.6330, or
rwilkey@aflac.com.
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SOURCE Aflac