Making the World a Better Place

Lavender Moon originally uploaded by ObedientMuse
Do you know a woman who has made your world a better place? If you do, consider nominating her for Mannington Mill's Stand On A Better World Awards Program. You still have another 7 days, until August 31, 2006, to submit nominations.

Think how many women have made a difference in your life: teachers, moms, wives, sisters, daughters, associates, friends...., and consider nominating one of them! You have three different categories --social, economic, environmental-- to choose from and you'll find a wealth of information on the Stand On A Better World Awards website, along with some great stories about other women who believe in making the world better.

This is the 2nd year of the program, and I remember being floored at the beauty and elegance of calling attention to and celebrating the good that women do day in/out - be it in business, in non-profit sectors or simply in life.

In case you are thinking "what's the point?", read this previous post Doing Good that discusses the value of being associated with doing good. Through this award, you have an opportunity to recognize what SHE - i.e., your retail customer - has been doing!

Do also look at this press release from Cone, Inc. which conducts regular studies on the state of cause marketing. It is chock full of interesting insights, and even though conducted in 2004, they are as relevant if not moreso per the research quoted in Doing Good.

The 2004 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study shows that eight in 10 Americans say that corporate support of causes wins their trust in that company, a 21% increase since 1997.

Companies Must Talk More About Their Cause-Related Efforts
Some companies have recognized the positive impact of supporting social issues, and have aggressively communicated their efforts over the past few years. At the same time, many other companies have traditionally been reluctant about such communications, seeing them as boastful. An overwhelming majority of Americans (86%) want companies to talk about their efforts, but only four in 10 say companies are doing that well.

“These facts side-by-side are a mandate,” says Cone. “For senior executives, they are a mandate for action on social issues. For marketing executives, they are a license to communicate the company’s commitment and efforts.”

So, celebrate someone in your community making the world a better place. Nominate her for the Stand On A Better World Awards, and then let your customers and your community know about it!

Tags: cause marketing, marketing to women, Mannington, Stand On A Better World, retail