Social responsibility has grown to become an important part of any company’s perspective on managing its human resources, as well as conducting business, in general. Implying that an organization subscribes to compliance with key ethical and moral standards in the business setting, the notion of CSR has gained a central role in promoting good relationships within the organizational setting (Sanclemente-Téllez 7). However, the development of a Code of Social Responsibility (CSR) and the supervision of staff members’ compliance with it are quite challenging tasks, which some organizations fail spectacularly to meet. Fortunately, TOMS is not one of these organizations; by creating an effective communication framework within its corporate context, the company has set the premises for building an ethically sound and practical CSR.
TOMS has been known as the company operating in the apparel industry since 2006. The firm has been focusing on the production of shoes based on the alpargata design, as well as the company’s strict ethical code. Namely, the company has been donating shoes to children from poverty-stricken households based on the one-for-one model (Ho). The latter suggests that one donation is given per each sale. As seen from the description of the company provided above, TOMS has been following rather impressive ethical standards, having set the bar for its CSR very high. Namely, with its CSR being rooted in the provision of support to impoverished communities, TOMS has been providing a stellar example of how to be efficient in meeting both social and environmental concerns.
Indeed, apart from the obvious positive effect produced by donating shoes to children from impoverished and disadvantaged communities, TOMS has been following the principles of sustainability very closely, making sure that the resources used for the production of its goods are allocated as rationally as possible. In addition, TOMS has been striving to reduce its waste levels continuously, achieving impressive results (“Sustainability at TOMS”). Therefore, the framework that TOMS has been applying to attain its CSR goals, particularly, the focus on the creation of a sustainable product, can be deemed as successful.
The degree of TOMS’ CSR effectiveness is quite high given the levels of the firm’s sustainability. In light of the fact that TOMS has reduced its waste rates substantially, while promoting the importance of environmentalism and supporting children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, the organization’s CSR-related goals can be considered met. TOMS has been introducing positive change on the corporate, community, and global levels, setting an example for multiple organizations. Therefore, TOMS needs to be recognized as one of the companies that have managed to build a perfect CSR framework that allows satisfying the need of all stakeholders involved.
Due to its focus on the role that communication plays in building CSR and skills for ethical decision-making in staff members, TOMS has managed to develop a working CSR framework that offers employees enough flexibility while ensuring that they follow ethical guidelines respectively. The current ethical framework of TOMS allows approaching the communication and decision-making processes from the perspective of vulnerable groups within the global community, thus ensuring that the selected course of actions allows benefitting all parties involved. Moreover, the integration of the CSR principles within the corporate environment has helped TOMS to cater to the needs of its target customers, while also contributing to the development of the community by minimizing waste and using resources responsibly. Therefore, the company can be considered an exemplary case of CSR being applied correctly.
Works Cited
Ho, Sally. “Struggling To Cope With Ethical One-For-One Model, Toms Shoes Transferred To Creditors.” GreenQueen.com, 2020, Web.
Sanclemente-Téllez, Juan C. “Marketing and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Moving between Broadening the Concept of Marketing and Social Factors as a Marketing Strategy.” Spanish Journal of Marketing-ESIC, vol. 21, 2017, pp. 4-25.
“Sustainability at TOMS.” TOMS.com, n.d., 2020. Web.