How could businesses make positive change?
Phyllida Swift is the CEO of Face Equality International. She is a Festival 2024 expert on business and politics.
Phyllida has worked with businesses on campaigns that get people thinking about the political and social issue of positive representation. Watch her video to find out more about why this topic is important to her, then have a go at her challenge questions.
Video not working? follow this link: https://vimeo.com/teef/pschal
Share your responses below. Phyllida will see all of your ideas.
- What political or social issues would you like to see change?
- What impact could it have if big businesses or brands were to share an opinion on the issue?
- What else could businesses do to help?
Once you’ve shared your own ideas, read what the other Topical Talkers have said and respond to them using the thumbs up, thumbs down and question mark buttons.
Comments (120)
One of the ways a business can have an immediate positive impact is by helping out in their local community. Taking part in an existing initiative or starting one of their own means they can have an immediate and visible local business impact on an issue affecting the community.for example , when someone notice that in his community , they lack petrol and there is a need for that , he or she could sell petrol and this would help his \ her community and this can also cause development.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @motivated_elephant. What do you think might motivate a local business to donate petrol to the community? What kinds of benefits do you think that buying petrol for a local community can have, beyond that they can drive more?
Interesting insight Sarah @economics.
I believe a local business donating petrol depends on the owner of the business itself.
First of all petrol is a big source of income to lots of businesses,so donating it is more or less to impossible.
The only factor i can consider is the reduction of the petrol price,
Free donation of petrol could cause loss of profit and capital.
But the reduction of price could allow the commodity (petrol)to be adequately utilised and scarcity is reduced.
I understand your perspective loving_honeydew,You're right that donating petrol for free can be challenging for businesses since it's a valuable commodity. However, some businesses may choose to support the community by reducing the price of petrol. This can still allow for its adequate utilization while also helping to alleviate scarcity. It's all about finding a balance between supporting the community and maintaining profitability.
I agree with you because petrol is a resource that is very expensive especially down here and so no company will ever give that out for free but to help in improving the means of transportation in the country, they can reduce the price of fuel especially so everyone can get it at any amount they can use for they everyday work and activities.
I agree with you that increasing the fuel subsidy can help develop a country. But this must be done knowing that Nigerian economy largely depends on crude oil. Removal of subsidy simply every other thing in the market will experience a high rise especially food commodities. This has led to a serious suffering as i write this piece.
I disagree because... The reduction of price Will bring about loss in the business that is to say it would affect the business negatively which might cause the business to shutdown.
Hi loving_honeydew
I totally agree with you instead of donating free petroleum the price can equally be reduced. Reducing the price of petroleum would help a lot of people all over the world. Petroleum is a huge source of income all over the world reducing the price would help everyone one way or the other. In a local community if the have petroleum in excess they can donate it, but the have to wise while donating in order to make sure the won't run into a loss.
I agree with you clever_redcurrant because reducing the price of petroleum would help a lot of people in the world because people need fuel for a lot of tasks they do in their daily lives.
EXAMPLE:
People need petroleum for transportation,
People need petroleum for light that is for their generators.
THANK YOU
I disagree with you saying if the price of petrol reduces it will help a lot since we use it for lots of tasks because... except for transportation, petrol is not that useful. Petrol is famous because of its use in vehicles like cars. I think it would help a lot because we use vehicles everyday-When going to work, to school, to the market etc. This is going to reduce the amount of money spent by parents, schools which have buses, uber drivers etc.
Hi, intensive signature
Did you really agree with reduction in petroleum cost,have you considered petroleum A very important resources, and of cause will be of no good to helping the nation resources?
I disagree because...If not for car petrol is not that useful because back in those days people use generator to do work in office and at home but now people now use solar in stade of generator because solar is now one of the most popular technology which makes work easier because in stade of westing their time going to on generator to do an important job on the process it will off petrol has finished solar will do it without offing and you will not west your money.
Thanks.
I agree because... The whole point of businesses in our society is to help those who do not have the necessary resources to help themselves. Also we have businesses in our society so that we can have access to many scarce natural resources , like petrol as you say. In some parts of the world, many countries are well developed as look as if they have everything, but they are still struggling because of scarcity of petrol. In fact, some countries even have the natural resources, but do not want to use it. We have to take up the responsibility of using our natural blessings for the growth and development of our economy because if we do not do that, we will suffer the consequences.
I believe you are correct since, to start, a local company's ability to provide out gasoline rests on the proprietor. Second, given that a litre of petrol is expensive, the firm may fail as a result of the enormous loss they incurred from providing free fuel to the community.
In my view, lowering the price of gasoline could make it possible for a company to give back to the community.
THANK YOU, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO CORRECTION
I totally agree with you. For me it's impossible a business to donate petrol. Petrol is economical power and as you said a source of income. Wars have begun to control it and be the owner of it. From my perspective it would be out of this world if businesses would donate it freely.
A local business can be motivated to donate petrol to the community due to the fact that petrol is expensive due to its several uses and functions in our everyday life. Therefore, donating petrol to the community would help to save money to buy petrol for the mean time and it can be used to make different fuels like diesels, and can also be used for agricultural purposes to produce electricity and also used as lubricants for vehicles. It would benefit the community a lot as petrol would occupy and solve most of the problems in the society.
Interesting question Sarah @the economics.
I believe buying petrol for a local community is more or less to impossible.
In a sense that,the populace of a town is close to 5000 People approximately,then a local community could have an approximate total of 1000 people.
Buying Petrol for an entire community would not only increase the scarcity of petrol,but it would also affect the stock of the country
Every commodity has a vital role it is playing in the country,each commodity has a hand for the improvement of the country.(development)
Also, buying an entire community Petrol would cause some suspicios,it would also increase the scarcity of petrol thereby inflating the price of petrol.
Sincerely speaking, buying Petrol for an entire community is out of it.
But reducing the price,would enable not only the community but the country at best have a better chance at utilising Petrol efficiently.
Enabling them to drive more and run other factors involving the use of petrol
I really don't understand your idea about a business having an immediate positive impact by helping out in their local community. and i also don't understand how petrol can cause development in a local community. here's a question for you; is petrol mostly one of the issues affecting a community?
Well, in my opinion yes because petrol is used in making different cooking gas like kerosene and vehicle powering fuel such as diesel, so like 40% of our daily lives depend on petroleum products. Come to think about it, even the body lotion we apply are made from petroleum products such as petroleum jelly and the likes of others. I hope you understand the use of petrol in the community.
You said that 40%of our daily lives depend on petrol so what about 60%of our other daily needs . Yes I understand what you mean by our daily lives depend on petrol but what about the other things that human beings need to survive that cost a lot more higher than that of petrol. You also said that petrol is important with it's products . Don't you think that there are other mineral resources that human beings depend on ,example: limestone products like cement that people use in building houses?
Hi motivated elephant
In your view did you really think a business could be started up in a local community,have you considered starting the business in an area where it suit's the business view?
Many people express a desire for positive changes in political and social issues like climate change, inequality, and education. If big businesses or brands share opinions on these matters, it could influence public perception and potentially drive meaningful conversations.
Businesses can contribute by adopting sustainable practices, promoting diversity and inclusion in the workplace, and supporting social initiatives. Beyond statements, tangible actions such as philanthropy, ethical sourcing, and transparent business practices can make a lasting impact on societal issues.
Can you give an example of a business taking these actions?
I agree that a lot of well-known and prosperous companies face social and political challenges that could hinder them. One option to help solve the financial issue is through fund raising, thus I would advise the company to start doing so in order to raise more social standing.
I think that many people may desire for these changes but the campaigns that companies release still don't address these changes that many people have asked for.
In most circumstances no matter how hard we try businesses will still want that perfect campaign that they may not get if they listen to the public's concerns. So we should all still try to make them see the problems but it may be a dire endless cycle that we won't be able to change.
Business can cause lots of gain in the society but it is mostly a gain. It can actually help us in our daily life by the meanss of obtaining money. If there are businesses in the society, people will obtain money, and if there is money, we can pay our bills. As said earlier, business can affect us negatively or positively. Negatively, we can be cheated in businesses. Business can also help our lives by providing employment because if there is unemployment in the society, people will not be able to have jobs. And there is a saying that “an idle man is a devil’s workshop”. I stand on my gound saying that business impact our lives positively rather than negatively.
Thanks
Is there a particular political or social issue you think businesses could help with if they were to share their opinion on the issue, and why?
I actually think that some political issues like bribery(for example) Bribery is being done because of inappropriate or little circulation of money. If business men or women should bring an idea and execute it, it could generate more money and could counter the access to bribery in the society. What do you think Hemma?
Hi inspirational_rock, you make a good point. I think if businesses could implement some sort of anti-bribery policy and showed zero-tolerance towards corruption, this would help in some way to prevent bribery happening. This could go a long way towards people trusting the businesses.
In my view, when we discuss social difficulties, we should discuss the need for money. Many large corporations have the opportunity to voice their opinions on this matter, since many people in my own nation have experienced societal ills as a result of their financial needs. Many large businesses in Nigeria may positively impact the lives of many by using their influence and authority. They can not only share their money but also their opinions, which has helped many individuals in the country who are struggling financially.
Businesses and brands speaking up would have a great impact on people and society as a whole. People would listen to them and try to do the same thing. It can really help those facing difficulties due to wounds and other issues because it will give them hope that they are still part of society and that discrimination against them will not exist. This may also give them more energy to go farther and perform well.
I agree businesses and brands have great impact in the society as you have said. If people in the society are going through hard times and they see that the businesses which are well known/people go to a lot, equally going through the same challenges but those businesses did not shut down however the looked for ways to solve the problem that the are facing it helps people to have hope and confidence that the can overcome whatever challenge the find themselves in. This would be an inspiration to people.
Can you think of an example of a business/brand speaking up about an issue?
An example of a brand speaking up about an issue is Patagonia, a popular company that sells outdoor clothes and gear, often speaks up about protecting the environment. In November 2018, they said they'd give away $10 million they saved from tax cuts to help environmental groups. This showed how much they care about the environment. People talked about it, saying companies should be responsible for the world around them. Patagonia's strong voice on environmental issues has made more people want to buy from them, especially those who care about the environment.
How can businesses team up with local communities to tackle specific problems ?
Business can team up with local communities in different ways. Most companies need electricity to operate, clean water, good road in other for their business to grow and for their distribution chain. But if the community where a company is built lack this facilities,I think the company have to take it upon there self, instead of relocating to areas that possess this facilities,they should promote that area by helping them purify water, repair the road, provide good power supply by asking the government to provide electricity in that area and construct drainage .
With this they have teamed up with local communities,it will be beneficial to the company and society.their business will yield productivity because they have the right resources to operate.
It's great that you are calling on businesses to speak up, @lovely_planet. What issues would you like to see businesses in your community speak up on?
Hello,
I agree with you because I also believe that businesses do have a great impact on society. As you mentioned, people will start listening and being influenced by brands because almost everything we own and buy is from brands. Clothes, food, furniture, you name it! They can have a positive change in society by spreading awareness about groups of people with less privilege by adding slogans or information on the packaging of their products to show their support, or even about animals who are being mistreated by saying they are cruelty-free on the packaging. As society pays more attention to these issues, we are closer to the problem being resolved, as more people are showing support by supporting these businesses.
Businesses can be a form of mass media by helping the society express its feelings to the government. How? Well, using their products, they can pass round encouraging, patriotic and protestive messages among the people. For example, clothing lines could make shirts with protests quotes such as 'Fix the roads', indirectly organizing a peaceful protest and yet attracting more customers for themselves. It makes the government more aware of the public opinion of the people. Businesses can also help to remind the government on their unfulfilled promise(s).
Government can also encourage eco anxiety and promote sanitation in the society. For example, bottle making businesses can encourage the citizens on waste management and recycling, encouraging eco friendliness. Clothing lines can also produce shirts, face caps and sweaters with motivating messages such as 'Keep Earth clean!'
I completely agree with you! When businesses and brands use their platform to speak up and take a stand on important issues, it can have a powerful impact on people and society. Their influence and reach can inspire others to follow suit and make a positive difference. By showing support for those facing difficulties, such as wounds or other challenges, they can instill hope and a sense of belonging. This can boost their morale and motivation to overcome obstacles and excel. It's amazing how a simple act of speaking up can create a ripple effect of positive change!
I agree with you that businesses would have a great impact on the society, by creating awareness to different types of people who might not really know about the things going on and it will also be of great help to people as they know where most of these things are being sold and would not have to travel a long way just to get such things. Yes, this may also give them more energy to go on and be willing to perform better.
I agree with this point because if brands and businesses address these issues than people will follow this idea. I think those who face these difficulties due to scars or many other issues are shown more as models or faces of companies then the idea of society discriminating against them will slowly stop as these faces pop up more. For example, a modelling buisness could hire more people with these problems to promote equality and show how strong thee people are instead of the prejudice of them bieng fragile or horrible people. I think the idea of discrimination will never completly stop existing but it may dwindle to bieng very uncommon for these amazing people.
Businesses have a lot of power and influence in the world, and they can use it for good or for evil. There are possible ways businesses can make positive change.
- They could adopt ethical and sustainable practices, such as reducing their environmental impact, paying fair wages, respecting human rights, and supporting social causes.
- They could innovate and create products or services that solve real problems, improve people's lives, or advance knowledge and culture.
- They could foster a diverse and inclusive culture within their organizations, where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered.
- They could collaborate and partner with other businesses, governments, NGOs, and communities to address global challenges, such as poverty, inequality, climate change, or health.
- They could be transparent and accountable for their actions, decisions, and impacts, and communicate honestly and openly with their stakeholders.
Of course, there are many more ways, and each business has to find its own purpose and vision. But the important thing is that businesses realize that they have a responsibility to society and the planet, and that they can make a difference.
I think that businesses could help in solving the issue of lack of peace, a very good example of such are Adidas, Gap, and Balenciaga who have closed closed their collaboration with Kanye West over his antisemitic post on social media, and also his appraisal of Adolf Hitler who created the World War 2, which killed many people, these big brands were showing lack of partiality, peace making skills and equality, in order to stop another war from starting.
In conclusion businesses can solve social and political issues such as wars and poverty, and even more in the society, this entails that apart from profit making, businesses can also perform other roles in the community.
THANK YOU.
Interesting ideas, @devoted_television. Can you think of examples of what businesses can do to solve social and political issues such as war and poverty?
Hello!!! Chloe@ Topical Talk.
Firstly a business is an organisation that aims to make profit through producing and selling of goods and services. Apart from these, businesses can perform other activities such as peace making as earlier, stated and can also help in solving political and social issues such as war and poverty by:
1. POVERTY: Businesses can help to tackle poverty by giving job opportunities to the unemployed, so that the unemployed people may gain income, they can also help by giving donations to poor people to help start their own mini businesses in order to gain income for themselves.
2. WAR: I think that businesses can help in reduction of wars, for example, the war craft making businesses can shut down so that the people at war cannot have what to fight with and settle their differences by dialogue and not by killing people. Businesses can also help in solving possible wars by possibly punishing their workers if they say negative think about people. Big businesses can also help in solving crime by giving speeches to stop the war.
THANK YOU.
Hey Chloe! I totally agree with you. Businesses have the potential to make a positive impact on society by addressing political and social issues. When it comes to poverty, businesses can create job opportunities, providing income for the unemployed. They can also support poverty alleviation by donating to those in need or helping them start their own small businesses. In terms of war, businesses can contribute by promoting peace and dialogue instead of manufacturing war-related products. They can also discourage negative talk and promote understanding among their employees. It's great to see how businesses can play a role in solving these important issues!
I think by making some businesses, you can earn money and become rich HOWEVER you also have to pay money for others but also, you may get positive things about your business like people saying that you have the best things and maybe just maybe, you will earn more money for yourself. So I think there are some positive changes of making a business because you will get money and positive reviews
this is kind of hard to explain
Good idea jolly glacier,but did you think business is all about making money, generating a business does not mean you will only make money.it all about satisfying your consumer and workers, because without them you can't have a business.a business should not endanger the life of the workers and does in the environment.
Some companies produce toxic substances which is unhealthy to human health,why should such company focus on earning money instead of the company to make the environment a healthy environment for the people and workers.
If anything should go wrong your company can get sued ,and I don't think money will save such company.
Thank you.
Nice idea Adimarable_Butterfly but if you get sued, you can hire a lawyer to help you win the case for some reason or before sued, they could put your buisness into a trust or incorping it
I don't think you will be able to win a case that is putting a lot of life in danger, everyone of us have the right to clean environment,if something go wrong in the community due to release of toxic substances,did you think such company will be set free.
In everything we do we should consider other people,and life matters a lot it can't be bought with money.
Thank you
Yes the main aim of business is making profit. But as a business grows in riches and reputation, its influence on people also grows. Some particular businesses may affect a particular category of people. For example fashion brands may influence females more and car brands may influence males more. This simply means that they can use that influence to make a change. For example the clothing brand can start making clothes with organic materials to help the environment. Likewise car companies can start manufacturing electric cars. This will have a lot of influence on people and they might develop interest in what the business is trying to do and they might join in to help. When a business has influence, it should be used for the right purposes and not for selfish gain.
Greetings,
I think that businesses whether they are small or big can make a really big and positive change and impact on this. In my opinion,I think that big brands could make a huge and positive difference in the way people think. If big brands support natural beauty and hire every people that has the capability and is beautiful in their own way without discrimination the way people think can change a lot . I think that it would make a positive difference and make people more motivated if they support natural beauty. I think that every person is beautiful and talented in their own way which they should know. The social issues I would like to see change are bullying, unequality and discrimination. These activities shouldn't be done as everyone is equal. Everyone should deserve to live life normally.
Thank you
I exceedingly agree with you gusty_starfish, this is because you are right about stating that big brands could make a huge and positive difference in the way people think.
These big brands have a great influence over society and can change how their fans think, thus by these brands supporting natural beauty and hire people that is beautiful in their own way and has capabilities, it can change how some people think; as you stated, it would make people more motivated to support natural beauty.
A typical scenario can be a model who has vitiligo. Some people have the image of a model being perfect, so if there is a model who has vitiligo is signed to a big brand, society might have a change of mind and help create awareness for people with that condition and may even put an end to discrimination due to the huge influence the brand has over people.
This positive influence can even lead people who have been discriminated confident and believe in themselves and their true beauty.
I believe there would be a massive impact if big brands or buisnesses were to share and opinion on the issue because they can share their views worldwide which can create positive impacts on polpe across the globe. I think that if a large makeup brand for instance wants to be inclusive in regards to Face Equality they can find models that have scars and are unique, instead of the usual perfect skin and perfect face models that we more commonly see.
Having these so-called perfect models leads to people being uncomfortable in their own skin from a very young age, which also has consequences like people becoming insecure about the way they look. So businesses having many different kinds of models can help people feel more confident in themselves.
Diverting back to the original question of 'What impact could it have if big businesses or brands were to share an opinion on the issue?' , I think it would lead to people becoming more confident and happy with how they are and not having to feel as if they have to hide.
It may lead to more people purchasing a brand's products if they know that they are inclusive and support everyone and not just the stereotypically perfect people.
So in conclusion, I think brands should share their opinion on the issue as is will help people feel more included and happy to be them.
Hello everyone!!! My opinion on this topic, is that businesses are ways people see the world. They are, basically, the founder's need to make a change( as small as it may be). When a person has a dream, society might try to stop them, saying that what they want to achieve is impossible. However, in reality, a dream is the change we want in the place we live in! That's what a business is in my point of view. What I would like to see in contemporary society, is to stop overpromoting the big brands and start understanding the meaning of small start-ups! This is because, so may new entrepreneurs aspire to became strong, powerful and famous, which on many occasions doesn't happen and these people( who 9 times out of 10 are true talents) are left hopeless! Isn't society supposed to help improve the current state of these businesses?Our world can be a much better place, if everyone contributes to it in a good and positive way!
Personally, I would love to see a further change in how females are portrayed, as I am very passionate that we can still go further with stopping sexism, as well as how people who wear glasses are portrayed.
I believe that if a big brand or business were to share their own opinion on sexism and how it is wrong, simply through social media or advertisement, it would help spread the message a bit quicker. Yes, I am aware that many businesses, such as apple, have fair pay and treatment for women and men who work for them, I believe that more advertisements need to be done. Throughout the last few years, the amount of encouragement that females have received for playing sports that are supposedly 'male' is huge and has had a big impact on women in sport. More enthusiasm like this, portrayed in the media, in multiple different situations would really help support this matter. For me, popular businesses could set up more campaigns and advertisements to showcase this as many people admire what these businesses think so this could lead to a more equitable society for both men and women.
Next, I believe that how people who wear glasses are portrayed in the media needs to change. In most cases when it comes to the media, people who wear glasses can be shown as vulnerable, nerdy (intended in a bad way) and irritating. However, most of us know that in reality this is not the case whatsoever. As someone who has had reading glasses since the age of 10, I believe that major businesses can emphasise to everyone that this is not the case. If these businesses were to show their opinion, this stereotype would soon wear off and people can be known for their personality rather than what is sitting against their eyes. Similarly to my previous point, I believe that campaigns and multiple new advertisements can really aid this change because they will reiterate to people that you can't judge someone based off what they wear and what they don't have much choice but to wear. In addition to this, if major film production companies were to promote this, having more films where this traditional stereotype is ignored would significantly help too.
I agree. I don't just want to see change in the way females are viewed, I want to see change when it comes to inequality. When I say inequality I don't just mean gender inequality, I also mean things like racism, nepotism and so on. You might ask how businesses can impact in situations like these. The first thing they can do is by making sure these problems are not found in their respective businesses. This can be done by making sure everyone has an equal opportunity, by implementing fair wages and supporting the ideas of other workers and employees. Discriminatory laws should also be eliminated in a business environment.
Just like how Patagonia used their tags to pass across information and how Avon decided to stay in Russia for their employees, other influential companies like adidas, nike, prime, puma, etc. can also use their products to pass across information about inequality. Companies are really influential. Businesses have very great influence when it comes to politics. They help to determine government priorities, and most importantly how the public views issues. If businesses can get the public to view inequality as an issue that needs to be tackled, both government and civilians will try their possible best to stop it.
Hello,
I want to see a social change in being more open to the LGBTQ+ community. Throughout the years we have seen more acceptance for the LGBTQ+ community but that doesn't mean they don't still struggle with discrimination and hate crimes. Since businesses have more power and influence than regular people, businesses spreading awareness of the struggles the LGBTQ+ community faces can make a greater difference in allowing them to be able to express who they are and how they feel without the fear of being negatively targeted. I have seen many harmful stereotypes of the LGBTQ+ community and some people think that all of them live up to those stereotypes which isn't true. Making more movies/shows , ad commercials, and products with the involvement of the LGBTQ+ community that won't add to the stereotypes will educate more people and hopefully change their views on the LGBTQ+ community, resulting in less hatred towards them. Thank you.
What else could business do to help?
Business can help us eliminate poverty from our country. As you all know that our country "India" is a overly populated country, so business can provide those with employment who are unemployed with good wages or salary, also giving them social security like PF, Insurance policy, Pension etc. This will lead to a higher standard of living and more purchasing power, which will increase the demand for goods, as the demand will increase the production will increase, as the production will increase the business will also increase, if the business will increase it will increase the employment and ultimately it will end up eliminating poverty in our country. Business can also work for social welfare by building schools, hospitals etc. And taking care of the environment as this will not only help in eradicating poverty but will provide business with a more educated and healthy work force.
A political issue that I'd like to see changed is electoral malpractice. In politics, we hear of a lot of cases of bribery, unfulfilled promises, rigging and so on.
Elections can sometimes be somewhat of a tense affair because of electoral malpractice. After an election, one might find people complaining that the election was manipulated. It's not fair because it cheats people of their entitlement to a better society. It is a violation of the right of an individual to vote and be voted for. It makes people lose hope. I have heard of people who don't vote anymore because they feel that their vote doesn't count. Some people even broke their voters' cards because they felt cheated of their rights.
I feel that people should have the right to choose their leaders, knowing fully well that the majority actually have their way and the minority actually have their say. They should be able to say, at the end of the election, whether the politician they supported or not won, that the elections were free and fair. Elections should be a process devoid of any form of violence or malpractice.
The advantage of a democracy is that power has been granted to the people to choose their leaders based on morals, character, integrity and who they think is the most suitable. If that power has been taken away from us, how can we be sure that our government is accountable? This is a problem that needs to be addressed if we want to make the society a better place.
Well, I think businesses and brands should focus on the world criticizing issue. The businesses and brands opinion and effective support would be motivational and would encourage the citizens and maybe government to take actions on the condition. The famous brands should make an advertisement on the criticizing issue or would assist people on some conditions. Al these acts results positive impacts on the local society and encourage government to execute actions on the rising issue. Sometimes an educational programs can be conducted by brands on local community and attract the local citizens for better education.
A political event that I want to change is wars like Gaza and Israel that make innocent people and young children get murdered and taken away from their families. If companies spoke on the Gaza and Israel conflict or had an opinion that said "Israel should stop attacking!" they would most likely lose Israeli customers/supporters and would earn more pro-Palestinian customers. But if a company says "Support Israel!" and donates to Israel with the money that customers give they might get boycotted (which means you stop doing an action with that company and as an effect, they could lose customers/money) and lose money and then they would earn more pro-Israel customers.
What companies could do to help in this war is to donate to the country that they support.
I'm not sure about this because... if you are to be atack't by a country what will you do , will you continue your business or will you face the war.
Business have positive impact in a community, because business provide job opportunities for the needies and it helps in reducing crime in a society there are some important positive impacts like.
1.Business is a source of peace and happiness in a society.
2. Business help people to get what they will feed their family.
I am looking forward to corrections.
Thank you.
Businesses can play a crucial role on changing perceptions in the world, especially when their brand is recognized in every part of the world.
They have the power to influence on different issues. A positive representation of them may help countries that are in war, experience aggressiveness and unfairness from other counties. If top brands share a fair opinion on them, their consumers will follow this perception.
Additionally businesses have the power to implement social issues like equality or even environmental ones.
Businesses and brand would make a great impact on the people and society. For example a person that study catering in the university he can still open his own restaurant and employ workers in his restaurant that means he's self-dependent.And through that way anybody can make a great impact on the people and society.
One issue I'd like to change in my area is the problem of electricity with NEPA. It is very unreliable even with the government efforts. I think business is could help by investing in alternative energy sources like renewables and selling it at lower prices. This would solve our electricity problems and give people cheaper options for power. Plus it will help fight climate change.
One social issue I want to change is the insecurity in my area. If businesses and brands speak up about it, it could make a big difference. It would get government and people's attention, raising awareness and pushing the government to take action.
Also businesses and brands could help by providing food, medicine or money to families affected by insecurity or to areas facing this problems. This support could improve people's life and make our communities safer.
The political or social issue that I would like to change if I am at the liberty to do that are numerous but the most important of all is the issue of the political candidates making promises and not fulfilling it. A candidate going for campaign and rally will promise to serve the people by providing what they need in the country like water, light, good roads, good health especially but immediately they get the power, they will ignore the people and forget all the promises they had made to the people. If I am at the liberty to be a leader, I will try to make promises and fulfil them for the betterment of the country.
If any big brand should share their opinion on this issue, they will make it look serious by stating why they want this issue to be stopped and after that it will make the people with power to stand to their feet and make their promises come to life again which will lead to the improvement of the country also.
I completely agree with you because...
Here in Nigeria there are many political and social problems that I would like to change. In the political aspect, during the last presidential election there was a case of rigging during election which led to many economic problems such as scarcity of money, food and also increase in price of commodities which led to hunger issues in the country. And also politicians make all kinds of promises such as good roads, electricity, good water, free education and free health care but after they are voted for they do not fulfill their promises. So if I was a politician I would also fulfill all my promises to the people. In the social aspect, here in Nigeria there is insecurity in the sense that a good number of people die everyday because of killing, robbery, theft, inter and intra ethnic clashes. So if I was a politician I would provide my country with tight security. So brands should make and fulfill promises they would lead to the improvement of the people's welfare. I am open to questions. Thanks.
The presidential election of last year, do you really mean that it did not improve anything rather it brought damage?
Also how are you going to change those problems if have the chance?
Hi unbiased_planet,
Thank you for the question. According to my own point of view, I mean that yes the last presidential election did not really improve anything rather it brought more damages. During the election there were cases of food scarcity, money scarcity, unknown gun men, killings everywhere, insecurity and also there was a case of goods inflation which led to the poor living conditions of the less privileged. It led to malnutrition, poverty, hunger and we all lost a good number of people due to the insecurity. There was also a case of rigging which when the president was announced people were all in doubt and disbelief. So , if I was given a chance to make a change in my country, I would first of all create free education, free healthcare, job opportunities, provide social amenities, and provide food especially to the less privileged. Then I would go ahead to provide tight and reliable security for my country. And finally, I would make a report that the INEC officials should perform their duties very well by not being bribed by politicians and also making sure that the right number of votes are presented to the people. I hope I have answered your question. Thanks.
Hello, I have many ideas on how businesses can improve so I am just going to jump in:
I believe that businesses can make a more positive contribution by making their buildings as green as possible. This could be done my changing their energy usage from things like fossil fuels and carbon emitters to greener alternatives like solar or wind power. They could also try to make their buildings greener by doing things like adding planters if they are selling vegetables or having green roofs which contain plants or even small trees (if they have room).
They could also try and switch up packages to different things such as paper, cardboard or even mushroom packaging which actress Emma Watson has already done already.
They could also try and see where their trade is coming from and make sure they are reliable. For example, 4% of the worlds cheeses are stolen each year and are sold to businesses.
Thank you for listening.
Amercans could buld a bussiness that could sell healthy foods in there restaurants for like people dat would like to eat something but not gain any calrios and could make a garden called victory garden. And not waste so much resouces with the garden.
tesla uses batteries because the environment is full of gas and smoke so using batteries helps the environment this is how they made a positive change
Businesses can make a change and help the world by spreading awareness to the public. Spreading awareness to a controversy can help give the people a say in the matter and give them the opinion to make a change, a positive change. Especially with big businesses such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, ect... They would be able to spread information faster due to their sources. If they shared their own opinion likely their users would agree. They would be able to make a faster change with their opinions. They can also bring awareness to a big problem on our planet today, pollution. They'll be able to bring a bunch of people together quicker and help make a positive change to restore our planet to how it once was before. Businesses have power with their own users to be able to make a good change.
Big businesses can help very well with this situation. The positive change would be to maybe not always give an opinion about certain topics unless it is asked of them to do so. Also businesses can help by supporting their customers and being on their point about their company and customers.
businesses could make a positive change by providing us with new things. Businesses could make their own products that we didn't even know could exist. For example One person created a phone and now there are multiple businesses that make them. Businesses even make a change in the future by giving us electronics, sports equipment, ect. Imagine if some businesses didn't exist we could lose stuff we use in our everyday life, we wouldn't be right here if some businesses didn't work or existed.
Businesses can have a great impact on society and resources to positive changes . It can have local organizations to develop on community. Supporting social enterprises can create good solutions or change many businesses. By expressing for positive changes in political and social issues.
businesses could make a positive change by providing us with new stuff.Business could make their own product that we didn't event know could exist.
Amercans could build a bussiness that could sell healthy foods in there restaurants for like people dat would like to eat something but not gain any calrios and could make a garden called victory garden. And not waste so much resouces with the garden.Bussiness could also make new products and sell them more the what it actully costet to make. Bussiness could also make good services to people treat them good so they could probaly invest the company.
Businesses could increase the efficiency of work processes, which can make for more satisfied customers as well as employees. They have the power to influence different issues. Your business strategy becomes your vehicle to translate purpose into substantial outcomes. Push your industry forward by increasing availability and accessibility (giving customers more affordable products). Also an ethical company that prioritizes integrity could make a huge impact (in more ways than one).
One Way businesses could make a positive change is they could help kids and teens get off electronics all the time . They could make commercials and start doing events in the park to get them outside more. It also can help them engage in the real world . I feel like apple should make a commercial because most kids and teens spend their time on apple devices instead of making friends outside their making friends on the internet that could possibly catfishes.
They should do cookouts and build more parks so kids can get outside more . For teens they should build more out door activities like more outlets and things
One political or social issue I would like to see is healthier options. The impact I think having healthier options if big businesses or brands were to share an opinion on the issue would be good for the most part and could potentially attract customers. If big restaurants and cooperations were to speak goodly about this topic and decide to make a change, restaurants would have more options. As for people who are trying to be healthy and don't want to make food, they can order it really accessible if restaurants could open up their options.
Businesses could make things for children. Which would mean that it would get more popularity because if u get children outside that could take more stress off of parents.
So basically they could make an ad for targeted the age appropriate audience like children's place. It can be like for kids and have things kids like and what kids need to learn. For teens it can show them getting a job or selling something that shows them being independent.
restaurants can add more healthier options to stop amercan obesity the 36.6% of amercans that are obese and they can make less soda products and less surgery drinks and make junk food more expensive so less amercans can make it more healthy because 1 in 3 adults are obese in na american famliy 1 in 11 amercans famliy deal with famliy obesity
I think this is a really good point, businesses have the power to try and help some of the larger problems in our societies. As you have said if restaurants change some of their dishes to include healthier ingredients, then it may help decrease obesity rates.
Companies that make furniture for instance may be able to promise that any trees that they cut down, they will re plant. Small changes like these will end up making significant impacts on wider society.
Business could make a positive change by provided us with new satf, Business could make their own products that we didn't event know could exist
Political and social issues could impact how we acquire our money and the way things will be in the future. As businesses make more gas and engine made cars the atmosphere is being destroyed everyday we drive gas cars.
Maybe buisinesses with like 100 million pounds could donate money to poorer companies that have less money than them. This could help the world and change countries poorer countries like Africa and send money to charities and could balance the money between different countries and Different companies.
I would like to see people helping homeless people and children because not everyone starts and end life the same and people should try and give money, food and every day objects. But not just homeless people, children in need.
The Political issue that I want to see change is facial difference and discrimination among people. Normally don't want to accept people with facial differences so easily because they have made them villain in their mind eye. The skin care company should make product not to change oneself but to make feel confident about themselves and accepting and loving oneself the way they are. Instead of making whitening product, they should focus on making product for all skin type to keep the skin moisture and tender. The entertainment and fashion company should normalize facial difference by giving better role to dark people or people with facial scar. The motto of skin and fashion company will be not to change oneself but to accept and love oneself with all of his flaws and strength. Since the business has a huge impact on people's mind. So, they can play the pivotal role in normalizing facial scar and difference.
Hey Phyllidia!
First of all, I am like super inspired by you that you are the CEO of such a strong initiative and I completely agree that scars are badge of honours. Scarred people are warriors who have survived a lot more than the literally unscarred people, and they deserve all the respect in the world.
The one issue I would like to see change would be that of how change is glorified. People who are different , or basically, people who don't "Shine" among others - be it due to their physique, appearance or introverted, quiet personality, are expected to get that "Glow Up", where they become more beautiful/handsome and viola! They have all the success in the world! I disagree. I think that we are all unique. To be successful, we don't have to CONVERT this uniqueness to match the crowd. We just have to hone it to the point that we shine, and we shine much more differently.
First of all I want to comment that I was amazed of the strength of Phyllida. She made her scar problem into a statement! Big businesses have a tremendous impact on people.I think they need to change their role models and include a big diversity of them as our humanity is. Beauty is not only promoting the ideal standard of a Barbie, for example, as they used to do but choose real people to represent them. In my opinion this tendency is the future trend.
I totally agree with you. We need more real models from brands and especially role models that have a unique story to share. These stories can set good examples to young people. We have been bobmarded with so many fake images and fake lifestyles that this made us fill our life's with unreliable goals.
There are so many things I would like the companies and brands to change!! Unfortunately even if we have seen some brands supporting diversity and trying to conquer discrimination I think that we didn't succeed so much. That's because social media influence young people a lot to achieve beauty standards and fast money. For instance we can see on Instagram many celebrities promoting brands . But these influencers use daily filters to change their face or body and make them a perfect image. Businesses use this image to achieve recognition.
Would it be the same if they used a disabled person or a blind one?
Businesses can make positive change in many ways. LikeDisruptive leadership Adapting to change and encouraging experimentation can drive innovation and bring about positive change.
Creativity can lead to success, especially when it comes to planning and executing a business strategy.
Effective communication can help a company communicate organizational goals and expectations to employees. It can also create a transparent company culture that fosters innovation.
A positive work environment can help attract and retain employees. It can also help employees feel valued and heard, which can boost morale.
I would love for cyber issues to be changed specifically social engineering. According to www.embroker.com, social engineering is one of the threatening hacking strategy. It would make a huge positive and beneficial if big businesses and brands shared an opinion on the issue so there could be more attention and maybe find people who may have good ways to end cyber issues in general.
To help businesses could try to announce that this is a big issue and they need help trying to put it to an end. For example, they can create fundraisers, put them as ads on websites, add onto billboards and other ways to promote the issue to the community.
The business is something working with the probability like when you thing that this product will be good and lot's of people will need it so you try to sell it but if they didn't like it it's unlikely to earn money from it, so it's a bad luck and this is the most thing happen in business.
In fact, there is some people have better luck and their product is sold with big numbers, so they earn money. Some people is only training by selling products one of this products or maybe more success and earn the owner lot's of money. Some times develop the products and sell them and earn lot's of money.
Id like to see poverty, unemployment and corruption to change because, these are one of the major issues that brings us down. Business would really help unemployment and poverty because the more that businesses the more people would be employed and the more people are employed, the less poverty will be. Business gives you your own freedom to pursue your dreams .It also allows you create your own success story thereby making yourself independent.
A great way a business can have a positive impact for those with facial differences is by promoting them, Ms. Phyllida mentioned Winnie Harlow who is a beautiful model and a role model for those with facial differences, I feel that companies and businesses can raise people suffering around the world because of how they look, facial differences make them unique, and I think that companies should support them so that the world will see them for who they truly are and see their differences as their uniqueness.
What impact could it have if big businesses or brands were to share an opinion on the issue?
Now to answer this question I think that the impact it would have on the world will be large, imagine a person that has a facial difference modelling for big clothing brands like Louis Vuitton or Versace, it would be wonderful, or if movie producers made people with facial differences their heroes or the people who assist the heroes, imagine the impact it would have on the people and children watching these movies, they will start seeing those with facial differences as role models and finally see their true beauty. So yes, I think that the impact it will have will be very large.
What else could businesses do to help?
Well to answer that question businesses can make products that reveal the inner beauty of those with facial differences, imagine that big cosmetic companies like Nivea, L'Oreal S.A and many others promoting those with facial differences wherther in their ads or the packaging of the product it would be very nice, or restauraunts, cafes, diners and many others making their packaging supporting those suffering hardship because of their facial differences.
Thank you for reading.
Political or social issues that I would like to see being changed is Inequality between colour. I have seen in some areas that the company does not take any black or brown colour employee they reject just by seeing their colour, even not at all taking their interview but those people afterwards turn out to be best. So I think that this colour discrimination should be stopped. The government should take actions for this.
Hello,
If I was left with a choice, I would really love to see to the stability of food security. Food security is the availability of food in a country and the ability of individuals within that country to access, afford, and source adequate foodstuff. I think that this issue could be significantly reduced if businesses and brands would share their opinion. Businesses and brands have one of the biggest influential powers in the world, and if they were to talk plenty things could happen.
I think that brands are making attempt to stop these issues because of a strong, clear stance can help attract customers who share those values, creating a sense of community around the brand. Sure, it's important for brands to listen to feedback and criticism, but it's equally important to stay true to their beliefs and not be swayed by every minor complaint.
I feel like other things that brands can do to help these issues are:
-Donating to local charities.
-Encouraging volunteering.
-Using their expertise to handle issues within their range.
-Buying and hiring locally to improve job opportunities.
THANKYOU.
Hi
I think think the political issue that i would like to see a change in is election misconduct. In Nigeria Election misconduct is no longer a thing of news. Sadly, it is becoming normal for Nigerians to record some kind of misconduct during every election. I would like businesses especially those in Nigeria to share their opinion on issues like this because they have a way of drawing customers close to them. Businesses can convince their customers not to engage in misconduct and that will work very well. The can also form a union that will serve as watchdogs during elections to discourage people from engaging in electoral malpractice.
They create job opportunities. ...
They get more money circulating in the local economy. ...
They keep taxes close to home. ...
They build community identity. ...
They're involved with the community. ...
They innovate and diversify the local marketplace. ...
They're better for the environment. ...
Conclusion.
In reality, I think that businesses ought to endeavour to bring down their product pricing. This is one of Nigeria's biggest issues. I have never witnessed a product's price in Nigeria rise and subsequently fall in my home nation. It is no longer the case to find something for a low price. This is a situation that I genuinely hope will change. In my country, I would like to see prices rise and then fall. If this occurs, it will be an indication that our nation is developing. If they did, it would indicate that they have empathy for the populace.
In my country, we face political issues such as widespread corruption that affects the daily lives of Nigerians, conflicts arising from political competition, and roadblocks. I strongly desire to witness positive changes in these areas.
When big businesses or brands express their opinions on political issues, it can have a significant impact. These businesses often have a large audience and followers, which enables them to raise awareness about social issues like corruption among the general public.
Moreover, businesses can play a crucial role in addressing conflicts and roadblocks by taking various actions, including collaboration and supply chain responsibility. These actions can contribute to finding solutions and making positive changes in society.
THANK YOU! 😊
Hello,
It is important for businesses in every industry to give back to their community. By reducing the surplus of properties for sale, we can make them more affordable for our country. For example, boosting production may limit affordability, but decreasing supply can create a more balanced market. Thank you
Hello.
You are right inspired_volcano, it will be a development for, Nigeria if prices that have increased should decrease, in my own opinion, brands often decrease the price of their products and reduce their quality, this is a problem!There is the problem of adulterated goods, some people make fake and adulterated goods going for short term gains at the expense of the customers. So I completely agree with you when we should balance the increase and decrease in the prices of products for a valid reason.
I agree because if the prices of things are reduced, many people will buy their goods and they will have more goods and more money and it will persuade them to continue to sell more goods and even start to sell some goods that they did not sell before. So I think it will be better if businesses reduce the cost of their goods.
some political or social issues I would like to see change is a bad partnership, if you are trying to stop something then why do businesses get sponsors from them it happens so much that some people don't even notice it. another thing I would like to not happen again is false advertisement. Some game business shows ads that show something good but once you get it it does not look the same or much worse this can also be done by in person business too.
Businesses and politicians are playing the most important role in climate change. Their decisions and moves can very quickly reduce the pollution and demolition of the nature. They need to focus on being more nature friendly instead of being greedy and money thirsty human beings.
I think businesses can help by :
-taking customer service more seriously
-reducing prices
-stop changing prices too often
-using materials that can be composed into the soil easily
and so much more
I think it all depends on what kind of businesses they are in order to have an impact. A local small business can't have the same influence as a worldwide big one. A business selling carpets can't have the same influence as one selling beauty products or clothes. And of course it all depends on your target audience . If you want to change a political perception you have to influence an older age consumer audience, if you want to talk about equality you can broaden your consumers. So in my opinion yes businesses can share opinions but all depends on whom and where.
A big political/social issue that I would love to see change is gender inequality in the United States, or anywhere in general. Seeing as how many brands and businesses are taking off right now, it can really help if they would talk about issues like this using their platform. It's really incredible seeing brands do this, however not enough are speaking up. It's not really hard to bring up topics and problems like this, but I do get why some brands find it difficult to. Most businesses might face backlash and lose popularity, but I feel like it also shouldn't matter because at the end of the day it will be the main problem you're trying to fix. It shouldn't matter how other opinions may sound as long as the point is put across and everyone is aware. It's unbelievable how much gender inequality has shown through the years, like how people bring up women and men should have certain jobs. As long as work is being done and the unemployment rates go down, it shouldn't matter. Businesses can advertise using issues like this, but incorporate it into their brand instead of using it to their advantage. I can see how brands can take an issue and run with it to make their business bigger-- which isn't the main goal. Nevertheless, brands should use their platforms for a good cause, and not just stand here and see other people talk about these political and social issues alone, trying to get someone to hear them out.
Hello
With respect to your third question that is 'what else could businesses do to help' Businesses especially large and globally recognized businesses should help to publicize the pressing issues in our society today, for example: climate change, the issue of poverty, gender equality, biodiversity loss, the increased rate of crime in our society today. If businesses engage in spreading such awareness it will increase the rate of wanting to tackle these global issues
Thank you
Hi amazing around the world
A political and governal issue that I would like to see change is declining to repair roads in Ghana by politicians and members of parliament. Like seriously, if you travel on most roads, you can get a heart attack. All the roads are orange with dust on it. Even with a small amount of speed, the dust from the back of that car is just so intolerable. These are the same roads that some pregnant women who are about to give birth travel on and I imagine them going through so much pain during the bumps on our roads. Members of parliament or politicians that are in charge of these constituencies refuse to fix our roads but if you go to the path leading to their homes, the roads are made of tarre and they are just so nice to drive a car on. I would really like to see a change in this issue because it has been going on for years now and no one is willing to fix it fix it. I will be really overjoyed if this is solved.