Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- CSR overview
- Drivers of CSR
- Leading companies
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- Figure 1: Survey respondents’ top 15 named socially responsible/irresponsible companies or brands (unaided), June 2012
- The consumer
- Relatively few say that ethical behavior impacts purchasing decisions
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- Figure 2: How corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Women, older consumers, and less affluent are most likely to be influenced by CSR
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- Figure 3: How corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by gender, age, and household income, June 2012
- Good behavior positively impacts purchasing, but bad behavior is a stronger negative
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- Figure 4: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
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- Figure 5: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Claims of conservation and local support are most influential CSR attributes
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- Figure 6: Socially responsible attributes that influenced a purchase of those whose purchasing decisions are impacted by corporate ethical behavior, June 2012
- Local, labor, clarity of commitment are most compelling CSR initiatives
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- Figure 7: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, June 2012
- Millennials take a broader view of CSR
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- Figure 8: Types of company social responsibility initiatives aware/impacted consumers are interested in learning about, by generation, June 2012
- Supporting local businesses, reducing waste, and accountability are most important
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- Figure 9: Most and least important issues related to corporate social responsibility, June 2012
- Older generations think business and CSR can be successfully combined
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- Figure 10: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—business priorities, by generation, June 2012
- Millennials least likely to share in the responsibility; but want to learn more
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- Figure 11: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—shared responsibility, by generation, June 2012
- More than half of Millennials support government enforcement of CSR
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- Figure 12: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—enforcement/accountability, by generation, June 2012
- Ethical behavior expected regardless of race; CSR impact on purchasing is similar
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- Figure 13: Attitudes toward company ethical behavior, October 2010-November 2011*, and how corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012**
- What we think
Issues Impacting CSR
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- Can a corporation be a “good company” without the cosmetics of CSR?
- Do CSR rankings and ratings do more harm than good?
- Will corporations adopt CSR if it means profitability will suffer?
- Will CSR become a mandatory and regulated “cost of doing business” in the U.S.?
Insights and Opportunities
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- India on track to be the first country to make CSR mandatory
- CSR marketing should align with a company’s core business
- “Connected Capitalism” may be the next evolution of CSR
- Let’s hear it for the girls
Trend Application
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- Inspire Trend: Patriot Games
- Inspire Trend: Without a Care
- Inspire 2015 Trends
- Brand Intervention
Drivers of CSR
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- Overview
- Global social and financial concerns drive CSR activism
- Government adoption of new CSR principles and policies drive CSR
- Consumer expectations of ethical behavior drive CSR
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- Figure 14: Attitudes toward company ethical behavior, by gender, age, household income, October 2010-November 201
- New generation of workers desire companies that benefit society
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- Figure 15: Importance of having a job or career that benefits society, 18-34s vs. 35+, December 2011
- Follow the leaders: most large companies issue sustainability reports
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- CSR ratings and rankings abound
- Familiarity, revenue performance, scandal place big names on both lists
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- Figure 16: Survey respondents’ top 15 named socially responsible/irresponsible companies or brands (unaided), June 2012
- Most profitable companies are named as most socially irresponsible
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- Figure 17: Revenue of top companies named by survey respondents for being socially responsible/irresponsible, August 2012
Innovations and Innovators
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- Social, philanthropic, and sustainable innovations in CSR
- Starbucks, U.S.: “Create Jobs for USA” supports domestic manufacturing
- BodyTech gym, Brazil: incorporating one-for-one donations to lose and gain weight
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- Figure 18: BodyTech Weight Donation video, 2012
- Kraft Foods Foundation, U.S.: Feeding America brings mobile pantry to food deserts
- Starbucks, Hong Kong: transforming food waste to raw ingredients for new products
- Molson Coors Canada: Investing in responsible drinking education
- Social media use in CSR
- Tata Docomo, India: The BloodLine Club
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- Figure 19: The BloodLine Club, 2012
- Join My Village, Africa and India: One-for-one donations to multiple causes
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- Figure 20: Join My Village, 2012
CSR Marketing of Leading Companies
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- Overview
- Apple Computer, Inc.
- Sony: make. believe
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- Figure 21: Sony “For the next generation” Japanese print advertisement, August 2012
- Walmart: Save money. Live better.
- Websites
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- Figure 22: Walmart website homepage, August 2012
- Figure 23: Walmart Community, Walmart solar, August 2012
- YouTube videos
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- Figure 24: Children’s Miracle Network Ohio: Walmart Associates Say Thank You, YouTube video, August 2012
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- Figure 25: Walmart 12 Days of Giving, YouTube video, December 2011
- Figure 26: The meaning of shareholders, YouTube video, July 2011
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- Figure 27: Walmart Neighborhood Market, YouTube video, July 2011
- McDonald’s: I’m lovin’ it.
- Websites
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- Figure 28: McDonald’s website homepage, August 2012
- YouTube videos
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- Figure 29: McDonald’s USA Listening Tour Sustainability, Nutrition and Our Food, May 2012
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- Figure 30: McDonald’s Road to Sustainability, January 2010
- BP Oil: Beyond Petroleum
- Websites
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- Figure 31: BP’s website homepage, August 2012
- YouTube videos
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- Figure 32: BP fuels America. America fuels BP., January 2010
- Figure 33: BP Gulf Coast Update: Our Ongoing Commitment, December 2011
CSR Impact on Purchasing Behavior
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- Key points
- Relatively few say that ethical behavior impacts purchasing decisions
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- Figure 34: How corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Contradictory patterns emerge in CSR’s impact on purchasing
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- Figure 35: How corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by gender, age, and household income, June 2012
Impact of Good and Bad Corporate Behavior
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- Key points
- Good corporate behavior has a positive impact on purchasing
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- Figure 36: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Even among CSR-aware, Millennials are the least likely to be impacted
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- Figure 37: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions of those aware/impacted, by generation, June 2012
- Bad behavior is a stronger negative than good behavior is a positive
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- Figure 38: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Nine in 10 who are impacted by corporate behavior avoid bad companies
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- Figure 39: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions of those aware/impacted, by generation, June 2012
Socially Responsible Attributes’ Impact on Purchases
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- Key points
- Conservation and local support claims are most influential
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- Figure 40: Based a purchase on a socially responsible attribute, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Environmental responsibility is an expectation for most
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- Figure 41: Attitudes toward the environment, by age, October 2010-November 2011
- Despite tepid environmental attitudes, Millennials support responsibility
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- Figure 42: Based a purchase on a socially responsible attribute, by generation, June 2012
CSR Initiatives of Interest
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- Key points
- Local, labor, clarity of commitment are most compelling CSR initiatives
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- Figure 43: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Millennials take a broader view of CSR
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- Figure 44: Types of company social responsibility initiatives aware/impacted consumers are interested in learning about, by generation, June 2012
Most and Least Important CSR Issues
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- Key points
- Local business support, waste reduction, accountability most important
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- Figure 45: Most and least important issues related to corporate social responsibility, June 2012
- Corporate watchers tuned into the environment, others support business
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- Figure 46: Most important issues related to corporate social responsibility, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Millennials’ opinions on CSR issues buck overall trends
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- Figure 47: Most important issues related to corporate social responsibility, by generation, June 2012
Attitudes Toward CSR
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- Key points
- “American made” and economic recovery is top of mind; relates to CSR
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- Figure 48: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility, June 2012
- Patriotic buying and supporting local business is socially responsible
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- Figure 49: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—patriotism/local, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Older consumers take a stronger stance on buying American
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- Figure 50: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—patriotism/local, by generation, June 2012
- Efficiency and profitability are priorities over CSR—both would be nice
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- Figure 51: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—business priorities, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Older generations think business success and CSR go hand in hand
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- Figure 52: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—business priorities, by generation, June 2012
- Majority feels that consumers should share responsibility with companies
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- Figure 53: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—shared responsibility, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Millennials least likely to share responsibility, but want to learn more
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- Figure 54: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—shared responsibility, by generation, June 2012
- Companies should “give back” as a requirement for doing business
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- Figure 55: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—enforcement/accountability, by how corporate responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, June 2012
- Millennials most supportive of government enforcement
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- Figure 56: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility—enforcement/accountability, by generation, June 2012
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Ethical behavior expected; CSR impacts purchasing behavior
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- Figure 57: Attitudes toward company ethical behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2010-November 2011
- Figure 58: How corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
- Impact of good and bad corporate behavior
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- Figure 59: How good and bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
- Socially responsible attributes’ impact on purchases
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- Figure 60: Based a purchase on a socially responsible attribute, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
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- Figure 61: Attitudes toward the environment, by race/Hispanic origin, October 2010-November 2011
- CSR initiatives of interest
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- Figure 62: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
- Most important CSR issues
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- Figure 63: Most important issues related to corporate social responsibility, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
- Attitudes toward CSR
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- Figure 64: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
Appendix: Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- CSR impact on purchasing behavior
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- Figure 65: How corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by employment, June 2012
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- Figure 66: How corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by gender and presence of children in household, June 2012
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- Figure 67: How corporate social responsibility impacts purchasing behavior, by generation, June 2012
- Impact of good and bad corporate behavior
- Good behavior
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- Figure 68: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by gender, June 2012
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- Figure 69: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by household income, June 2012
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- Figure 70: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
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- Figure 71: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by gender and presence of children in household, June 2012
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- Figure 72: How good corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by generation, June 2012
- Bad behavior
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- Figure 73: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, January 2010 and June 2012
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- Figure 74: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by gender, June 2012
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- Figure 75: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by household income, June 2012
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- Figure 76: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by race/Hispanic origin, June 2012
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- Figure 77: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by gender and presence of children in household, June 2012
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- Figure 78: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions, by generation, June 2012
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- Figure 79: How bad corporate behavior affects purchasing decisions of those aware/impacted, by household income, June 2012
- Socially responsible attributes’ impact on purchases
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- Figure 80: Based a purchase on a socially responsible attribute, by gender, June 2012
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- Figure 81: Based a purchase on a socially responsible attribute, by household income, June 2012
- CSR initiatives of interest
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- Figure 82: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, by gender, June 2012
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- Figure 83: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, by household income, June 2012
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- Figure 84: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, by gender and presence of children in household, June 2012
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- Figure 85: Types of company social responsibility initiatives interested in learning about, by generation, June 2012
- Most important CSR issues
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- Figure 86: Most important issues related to corporate social responsibility, by household income, June 2012
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- Figure 87: Most important issues related to corporate social responsibility, by gender and presence of children in household, June 2012
- Attitudes toward CSR
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- Figure 88: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility, by gender, June 2012
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- Figure 89: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility, by age, June 2012
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- Figure 90: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility, by household income, June 2012
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- Figure 91: Attitudes toward corporate social responsibility, by gender and presence of children in household, June 2012
- Leading companies
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- Figure 92: Can think of and name socially responsible and irresponsible companies/brands, June 2012
- Open ends
- Socially responsible categories, companies, and brands
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- Figure 93: Categories of socially responsible companies or brands (unaided), June 2012
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- Figure 94: Socially responsible retailers, CPG, and tech companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 95: Socially responsible household, media, and apparel companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 96: Socially responsible foodservice, auto, and energy companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 97: Socially responsible appliance, toy, and telecom companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 98: Socially responsible travel and insurance companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
- Socially irresponsible categories, companies, and brands
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- Figure 99: Categories of socially irresponsible companies or brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 100: Socially irresponsible retail stores, financial, and energy companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 101: Socially irresponsible media, foodservice, and tech companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 102: Socially irresponsible CPG, household, and apparel companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 103: Socially irresponsible auto, telecom, and chemical companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 104: Socially irresponsible insurance, government, personal care companies/brands (unaided), as indicated by survey respondents, June 2012
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- Figure 105: Socially irresponsible insurance, government, personal care companies/brands (unaided), June 2012
Appendix: Trade Associations
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