Giving Compass' Take:

• Alison DaSilva discusses 'purpose-washing' and outlines the most effective practices for businesses to put purpose at the forefront of their work in an authentic and meaningful way. 

• Why is understanding the purpose of a company important? How can using a purpose-driven lens affect the infrastructure of an organization? 

• Read about the importance of finding your guiding purpose in philanthropy in order to best achieve your mission. 

The evolution of responsible business has yet again taken an exciting turn as we encounter a perfect storm. Due to omnipresent social media, an absence of government leadership on critical social and environmental issues, and near-unprecedented levels of activism across demographics, social consciousness is at an all-time high.

For some, like Patagonia or TOMS, Purpose drives every aspect of the business and is pervasive throughout the organization. For others, their Purpose may be focused on responsible business practices or social innovation and impact. There are many ways that companies can demonstrate their Purpose in an authentic way, as long as they are clear on their objectives, goals and current and future commitments.

Because while “Purpose” is on the tip of nearly every marketer’s tongue, we must be careful to avoid the fate of other responsible business trends of bygone times –from “greenwashing” to “pinkwashing.”

When: You can’t approach Purpose as a marketing campaign that has a start and an end, nor a tagline that gets slapped on every piece of marketing. It needs to be seamlessly integrated throughout the brand and amplified at the right moments to show how you are demonstrating or living your Purpose.

How: To authentically communicate Purpose, companies should focus not just on articulating their role in society, but also sharing the reasons to believe – or proof points – about how they are living their Purpose.

Where: For stakeholders to really feel a company’s Purpose, content should be delivered through a battery of formats and channels, creating a 360-degree experience.

Earned: Through earned communications, companies can share their Purpose and also participate in dialogues already taking place. Owned channels are the easiest to control, ensuring consistent communications.

Paid: To create a true Purpose-driven brand experience, companies can leverage paid channels to insert their message into consumers everyday lives, interactions, routines – and newsfeeds.

Read the full article about purpose by Alison DaSilva at TriplePundit