The Truth Behind Attracting Top Talent Through Cause Marketing

by Robert Sher

With talent in high demand, companies can’t recruit the best unless they have a unique and positive offer, and these days it’s not just about the package. In a candidate-driven market, HR leaders in survey after survey have underlined the challenge of filling senior and executive positions. The top people by definition will have options, so they are often looking for that something extra that makes an opportunity really special and gives them additional motivation to sign on to a new company.

To deal with this challenge, companies usually try to appeal to the tangible advantages. This includes salary and benefits. But it will also invariably focus on the job itself, and how it will be better than their current post: more opportunity, more seniority, more creativity. Sometimes it works. But often it does not. What can companies add to tilt the odds in their favor and bring that new recruit over the line?

Our Better Angels. Having a powerful social mission that speaks to a higher purpose and true motivating values of the company can be a very strong magnet for top talent. It offers the chance to be part of a mission bigger than just profit and sales, and shows that the people in the company are a community joined by a common purpose.

A standout example is San Francisco-based Fireclay Tile, one of the few design companies to have achieved B Corporation certification as a socially and environmentally responsible business.

“Having a framework of social responsibility and being very clear and transparent about it is something that many, many people have been very excited by,” explains CEO Eric Edelson. “As a result, we are able to hire people away from larger companies. They want to work for a brand that is producing something beautiful and also achieve something special for the world, together, rather than just making and selling tile and focusing on profit.”

How to Adopt Cause Marketing. Taking this approach on board can provide real benefits, but it is not a simple fix. Here are some of the key steps:

• In the words of author and business strategist Simon Sinek, “find your why” – that is, your corporate higher purpose and social objective. Fireclay was founded to make gorgeous handmade ceramic tile, and over time it moved on to other innovations in the use of recycled materials. So, its commitment to an environmentally sustainable approach has been fundamental from the start, what Edelson calls its “core values.” If you are layering in such values down the line, think carefully and triple check that you and the leadership are really committed to them. Insure you chose a mission that will resonate with your current and future employees.
• Develop proof points that verify that you are truly committed. Fireclay has a history of environmentally sensitive production, recycling and producing its products locally. It pursued B Corp certification over several years to deepen this commitment and hold itself accountable in a clear and public way. This track record, enhanced by the B Corp designation, demonstrates that its values are not just skin deep.
• Make sure your social commitment is highlighted across your marketing, culture and brand. Your brand precedes you – potential candidates know what you stand for before you even talk with them – and this can be very powerful when underscored by a true social value. Fireclay promotes its social commitment on its website and marketing material, and publicly supports a variety of social causes through its Pledge1% and Fireclay Gives programs. This ensures that people interested in the company are likely to know about Fireclay’s commitment well before they ever apply for a job there.
• Interweave your “why” into your recruiting process. Talk with recruits about it, and listen to their conviction around your corporate purpose. Fireclay puts its social commitment “front and center,” says CEO Edelson. It is highlighted in recruitment advertisements and job descriptions, and in nurturing emails that candidates receive through the process. Even in short initial call screens, Fireclay staff talk about the company’s social commitment and B Corp status and responsibility.

Words of Caution. In adopting a social mission, bear in mind these two critical points:

• There’s no faking it. Your “why” must be real. If it’s not, pass on this approach. Cause marketing must be based on a true commitment to a cause. Any other approach is unsustainable, not worth the investment, and in the age of social media especially, simply won’t work anyway.
• This isn’t quick work. Genuine brands take time to build, and time for the brand to be felt before they have reach. Adding a social element to this will be a real commitment. Even for Fireclay, where an environmental approach has been at the core of the company’s approach since the beginning, achieving the B Corp certification took several years and a significant investment and commitment of resources.

For Fireclay, however, the benefits of this effort have been significant. “We’ve always been looking for missionary over mercenary,” says Edelson. “But since having the B Corp certification, it has naturally been more consistent – we are not only living our values but broadcasting them more. We can’t say we are saving the world, but we are committed to making the largest contribution we can, and this is an attractive differentiator, especially for a younger generation looking for a mission-driven organization. They feel there’s a higher purpose than just making money, and this definitely helps us attract and retain personnel.”

To read an extract of the interview transcript, please click here.

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