Research Studies

"Golin Harris Corporate Citizenship Index"

No author cited
Golin Harris, June 2005.

According to a Golin Harris survey, corporate citizenship has an influence on consumer habits and can even turn some customers into brand champions. Forty percent of respondents said they take good corporate citizenship into account when making purchasing decisions. They reported that good corporate citizenship by a company or brand would inspire them to:

1. Try the company’s products for the first time.
2. Welcome the company into their communities.
3. Recommend the company’s products and services to friends and family.
4. Improve overall trust for the company, its people and products.
5. Improve overall opinion of the company’s reputation.

The study finds that few consumers (25 percent) believe American businesses have displayed an “excellent” or “good” commitment to corporate citizenship. Twenty-eight percent said that they are moving in the right direction up from 24 percent in 2004.

In addition to a general evaluation of American business, the study asked respondents to rate the corporate citizenship of 108 companies. Golin Harris then issued each organization a score. This year’s top performers on the firm’s Corporate Citizenship Index were:

1. Johnson & Johnson
2. Ben & Jerry’s
3. Walt Disney Company (tie)
4. Whole Foods (tie)
5. SC Johnson
6. Kraft
7. 3M (tie)
8. McDonald’s (tie)
9. Procter & Gamble (tie)
10. Southwest Airlines (tie)

Respondents identified 12 key drivers that determine a company’s performance as a good corporate citizen. The vast majority (85 percent) considered how a company treats its employees as the No. 1 factor.

Golin Harris surveyed 3500 consumers online for the study.

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