More Filipinos buy socially responsible brands

MANILA, Philippines — More Filipinos are willing to pay for goods and services offered by companies that have implemented social programs in their target communities, a recent Nielsen survey showed.

The Nielsen Global Survey on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) revealed that 7 out of 10 Filipino consumers today, or 71%, will spend more for goods and services offered by businesses known to engage in activities that “give back to society.” This is up from 68% a year ago.

“The positive view of Filipino consumers towards corporate social responsibility runs high,” said Stuart Jamieson, managing director of Nielsen Philippines.

Read: How CSR is evolving in the Philippines

To attract socially conscious consumers, Jamieson said companies should work on two key things:
•Genuine CSR programs, as opposed to those that merely get talked about but not done
•The alignment of those programs with the company’s vision, values and business objectives

Among Southeast Asian nations surveyed by Nielsen, the top 3 with consumers showing strong willingness are:
•The Philippines (71%)
•Thailand (68%)
•Indonesia (66%)

Meanwhile, consumers who said they “had spent” on goods and services offered by CSR-driven companies are from:
•Thailand (66%)
•The Philippines (64%)
•Indonesia (56%)

Jamieson urged companies to “re-access responsibility, work towards sustainable innovation and develop clear and strong messaging.” – Shadz Loresco, Rappler.com