Keeping Productive CSR Strategies Beyond the Holiday Season

Holiday Season 2021 will soon be a fond memory. Companies of all sizes have embraced the season as an opportunity to strengthen their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiatives dramatically. But come January 2022, many will trim down, or even abandon their CSR efforts.

That is not what an authentic sense of social responsibility is about. A year-round CSR strategy is essential to ensuring that your business maintains effective corporate social responsibility initiatives, which can also support your business growth. Your CSR strategy can be crafted to include your business goals, such as improving employee engagement, increasing investor appeal, and solidifying your brand reputation.

But as customers, employees, and suppliers place increasing importance on CSR, some leaders have started to look at it as a creative opportunity to fundamentally strengthen their businesses while contributing to society at the same time. They view CSR as central to their overall strategies, helping them to creatively address key business issues. 

 

For example, B Noble Inc. and Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. , a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, recently completed a national launch of a pre-rolled cannabis product called B Noble. Bernard Noble and Fab 5 Freddy partnered with Curaleaf to launch the B Noble brand in support of a shared commitment to the advancement of social equity in cannabis. The initiative provides an opportunity for those directly impacted by the war on drugs. 

B Noble was founded by well-known visual artist, filmmaker and hip-hop pioneer, Fab 5 Freddy, to raise awareness and create funding to defend people from cannabis-related criminalization. The brand is dedicated to telling the story of namesake Bernard Noble, who was arrested in Louisiana and sentenced to 13 years of hard labor in prison for possessing the equivalent of two joints. In 2017, Bernard’s case began to draw attention across the country, and he quickly became a national symbol for the need to reform the country’s unjust drug laws, sparking advocacy and a movement to free him. As a result, Bernard was released seven years into his sentence.

To call attention to Bernard’s harsh sentence, the B Noble brand partnered with Curaleaf to release two-packs of high-quality one-gram pre-rolls, symbolizing the two grams of cannabis for which Bernard was arrested.  

Ten percent of proceeds from the sale of each B Noble product will be donated to local organizations dedicated to advancing social equity and providing opportunities to those directly impacted by the War on Drugs in dispensaries in Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, and Oregon.

This partnership with B Noble is Curaleaf’s first large-scale brand venture in alignment with its dedicated social equity work, as a part of its Rooted in Good corporate social responsibility program. Led by Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility Khadijah Tribble, Rooted in Good delivers social impact by focusing efforts within three key pillars: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; Social Equity; and Sustainability, ultimately achieving key goals through the company’s strategic social partnerships. 

 

There are four types of CSR categories, and a CSR strategy helps you define which one is best for your business, ways in which you can implement it, and how to track the results of your efforts:

  • Philanthropic responsibility
  • Environmental responsibility
  • Ethical responsibility
  • Economic responsibility

A good CSR strategy builds a business case around how your chosen areas of CSR can integrate into your business growth plan, and makes sure that your initiative stays on track.

Here are the three main takeaways of a good CSR strategy:

Concentrate your CSR efforts. The greatest opportunities will come from areas where the business significantly interacts with society. These are areas where the business not only can gain a deeper understanding of the mutual dependencies and the where the highest potential for mutual benefit exists.

Build a deep understanding of the benefits. The key is finding symmetry between the two sides and being open enough to understand issues both from a business and a societal perspective.

Find the right partners. Relationships, particularly long-term ones that are built on a realistic understanding of the true strengths on both sides, have a greater opportunity of being successful and sustainable.

 

If you’re interested in developing a custom and impactful Corporate Social Responsibility strategy for your business or organization, please contact our team!

Do Your Part to Help Us Reach a Status Neutral World

We are a year and a half into the global coronavirus pandemic that has killed millions worldwide. In the 1980s, America faced a new and unknown epidemic that began with illness, which sparked fear and culminated in death. To date, about 37.9 million people are living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and nearly 770,000 have lost their lives to causes related to the condition. Sadly, Washington D.C. held the highest rate of HIV and AIDS in a U.S. city for decades. 

While the virus impacts men, women, and children of all ethnicities, HIV and AIDS was, and still is, a condition that carries a stigma commonly thought to be associated with homosexual men. This began in 1983 when the CDC identified at-risk groups.  Without a basic knowledge of the new condition, the doors were wide open for speculation that led to stigmatization. 

Thankfully, through aggressive programs introduced by Mayor Bowser and the DC Department of Health, new HIV cases have dropped by about 79 percent. 

In December 2020, Mayor Murial Bowser released the District’s updated plan and community platform — Status Neutral — to end the HIV epidemic with DC Ends HIV (http://DCEndsHIV.org/). Status Neutral describes a world where HIV and AIDS are no longer transmissible and its damaging stigma has been removed. DC Ends HIV is committed to ending the HIV epidemic and supporting the best, most equitable health outcomes for all communities in DC.

Octane worked with the HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, STD and TB Administration (HAHSTA) of the D.C. Government on the Status Neutral campaign, and produced the official video, which explains the full history and impact of HIV and AIDS, development of stigmatization, and our journey to combatting those and developing a Status Neutral world. Watch the full video here. 

“In DC, our status-neutral approach is to make HIV prevention and care available when and where people need it,” said Dr. LaQuandra S. Nesbitt, Director of DC Health.

In anticipation of Status Neutral’s launch day event, long-time AIDS executive and Status Neutral Project Lead, Michael Kharfan said, “[I am] excited for this conversation and advancing #StatusNeutral where people are engaged & supported regardless of their HIV status. Get into HIV care or prevention. DC is putting this pro equity and stigma-busting approach into practice”.

HIV is becoming more manageable and we’re getting closer to a status-neutral world. Octane is so proud of the impactful, important work we do with HAHSTA and now its Status Neutral campaign. Octane fully believes that we must all do our part to end the stigma. No group of people is more likely to get the virus than others. Behaviors carry the risk factors, not people. 

To understand HIV’s entire journey and how it impacts communities, please watch the full video here.

To know your status, go to getchecked.org for a free, at-home HIV test kit. For more information, visit sexualbeing.org

Make Earth Day Every Day!

With the light seemingly showing at the end of the pandemic tunnel, it is quite fitting that this year’s Earth Day theme is “Restore Our Earth”. The COVID-19 pandemic caused humanity to remember how to preserve and improve our health, livelihood, and quality of life.  This year, we at Octane feel that Earth Day is the perfect time to reflect on how we can improve the quality of our lives through the preservation of our planet. 

Typically, we hear about climate change, pollution, and deforestation as some of the problems facing Earth, but as most of us have been “sheltering in place” for the past several months – rightfully so – there’s been an uptick towards in-home energy use. Burning fossil fuels to generate electricity is just one contributor of greenhouse gas emissions that causes climate change and decreases the quality of our lives as living beings on this planet.

Earth Day is not only about acknowledging a need to do better for our Earth but also making and implementing those plans. The District is committed to fighting climate change and has plans and programs in place for climate adaptation and preparedness. Washington, D.C. has one of the most ambitious climate plans in the United States, including transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent in 2032! 

Working with government departments, sustainability companies and groups in the District, Reduce Energy Use DC launched on April 19th encouraging businesses and residents of DC to increase climate literacy, take inventory of energy use, and pledge to continue these habits for a better future. Today, Octane invites you to minimize your energy-use footprint and unplug for the day, clean up a local park or attend a virtual event that teaches ways to reduce energy consumption. Together, we can fight climate change and commit to a better Earth for our community, our families, and our future!

Closer than Ever – Reflecting on Washington D.C.’s Civil Rights Journey to Statehood

DC residents protesting for Statehood rights.
UNITED STATES AUGUST 24: DC statehood supporters march to the Lincoln Memorial for the rally to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington on Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013. DC officials, including Mayor Vince Gray held a DC Statehood rally at the D.C. War Memorial before marching to the larger rally on the National Mall. (Photo by Bill Clark/Getty Images)

It’s Emancipation Day here in the District! Today, we celebrate the end of institution of slavery in our city, and the beginning of the advancement of African Americans in Washington D.C. While we have come a long way since then, there is still progress to be made in achieving true equity and dismantling systemic oppression. D.C. is closer than ever to becoming the 51st state, and it’s important to understand the journey to statehood is a civil rights story.

Last month, Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser shared before Congress how the District’s overwhelming majority of African American residents resulted in “racist efforts” to deny equal rights to residents. This started back in the 1870s when Congress removed DC residents’ voting rights specifically to dismantle the growing political power of African Americans in the city. John Tyler Morgan, a senator from Alabama and former confederate general, later said that Congress had “to burn down the barn to get rid of the rats…the rats being the negro population and the barn being the government of the District of Columbia”.

In a recent report by Statehood Research DC, historical data and information is presented to support the fact that the city lost its franchise and remained a voteless capital of democracy primarily because of race. D.C. became the first majority-black major city in the United States in 1957. By 1970, the District was more than 70 percent black, officially earning its alias, “Chocolate City”. While the city has rapidly gentrified since then, African Americans still make up 46 percent of the population.

Washingtonians could not vote in presidential elections until 1964. It was not until 1974 that they were permitted to elect their own municipal government, which still cannot pass laws or annual budgets without Congressional review. However, D.C. residents pay more taxes than residents in 22 states and pay more per capita to the federal government than any state — Hence the city’s coined phrase that captures their injustice, “No taxation without representation”.

This is why activists, D.C. residents, and people all around the world, are fighting the equal citizenship of the District’s more than 700,000 residents. This is unconstitutional, racist behavior, and we must call on Congress to make the fair, and just decision next week, to make Washington D.C. our 51st state.

At Octane, we are proud and honored to support the movement towards DC Statehood through our work. Our client, the Statehood division of the Office of Federal and Regional Affairs (OFRA), is leading this critical fight for justice every day.

“We know that DC Statehood is the one of the most pressing civil rights issues of our lifetime and we have the support from President Biden, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Americans across the nation who recognize this injustice. The time has come for this historic wrong to be corrected. – Senior Advisor to Mayor Bowser, Beverly Perry.

While we’re celebrating Emancipation Day today and over the weekend, let’s not forget about the fight we’re facing right now. Call on Congress to pass DC Statehood!

Ending Women’s Month with a Bang – Client Spotlight: Khadijah Tribble

Throughout Women’s History Month, we’ve celebrated and recognized the achievements and important milestones women have made. As it comes to a close, we wanted to highlight a woman that works to provide opportunities for women and overlooked communities. Meet Khadijah Tribble, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at Curaleaf. Head woman in charge for Rooted in Good. Cannabis freedom fighter. Extraordinaire.

How and why did you begin working in the cannabis industry? 

Traditionally in college, you pick a major that really speaks to you, and run with it. But back in my undergraduate days, the idea that corporations were responsible for good business ethics and supporting the communities that they operate with and in, what we call CSR today, was not yet established. 

After graduation, I was looking for work in the academia and nonprofit spaces. I really started paying attention to how drug policies were driving poverty in the communities that I lived and worked in. So when I had the chance to join the Board of Changing Perceptions, a D.C.-based nonprofit that creates entrepreneurial opportunities for formerly incarcerated individuals, I jumped at the opportunity. 

I am still blown away by the thousands of collateral consequences related to marijuana arrests, convictions, and incarcerations. I often say the most dangerous gateway marijuana opened was the one to a lifetime of poverty and that’s not okay with me. It’s unnecessary and unacceptable. So here I am, but let’s be clear, I’m no Drug Policy Alliance. I am a Black, queer woman, using every opportunity in my position to help elevate my community and do what’s fair and right.  

What is cannabis equity, and why is it important? 

It’s a huge ethical issue to be a part of today’s booming, legal cannabis industry and not acknowledge the discriminatory effects of the War on Drugs. Black Americans make up nearly 30 percent of all drug-related arrests, the majority of those being marijuana, despite accounting for only 12.5 percent of all substance users. Hundreds of thousands of Black Americans and people of color have been convicted of a marijuana-related offense, many being as minor as one gram or less, with a consequence of decades or more in prison. 

Now that marijuana is legal, it’s critical to create spaces for those disproportionately impacted by the War on Drugs to have an opportunity to participate in and capitalize in the legal, financially booming cannabis industry. As a Black queer woman, this is especially important to me. I want to make sure that my people, many of which are denied opportunities for being who they are, are provided equitable access to entrepreneurial, supply chain, plant, and non-plant touching opportunities within cannabis. 

Under your leadership, how is Curaleaf’s Rooted in Good helping to increase equity and opportunities in cannabis for women through partnerships like Women Grow? 

From our initiative to work with 420 diverse brands and product suppliers by 2025, to our internal culture and workforce efforts, to re-aligning our manufacturing practices to increase sustainability, Curaleaf is Rooted in Good (RIG). Most recently, and in celebration of Women’s History Month, Curaleaf’s CSR division, Rooted in Good announced a partnership with Women Grow which will focus on supplier diversity and education for women across the cannabis ecosystem. Through this partnership, we will connect with women, BIPOC, Veterans, and LGBTQ-owned business owners and build with these cannabis leaders across the 23 active legal states that we operate in.

In addition to women, how does Rooted in Good provide equitable opportunities for other marginalized groups, including African Americans, People of Color, the LGBTQ community, etc.? 

 Curaleaf aims to create a diverse and vibrant cannabis industry, reflective of all people, everywhere. After all, cannabis is something that connects across age groups, ethnicities, cultures, and geographic locations. Through strategic partnerships, we will use our retail platform to elevate the brands of underrepresented ownership and origin. Our aim is to help amplify and empower diverse voices — building connections that will expand footprints far beyond the bounds of a single market.

Our industry-recognized Executive Roundtable provides mentorship, education, networking opportunities, and entrepreneurial support for individuals in areas disproportionately and traditionally impacted by the War on Drugs. Our vision is to provide the chance for a few committed individuals each year to immerse in a full-time, 1-year curated mentoring program.

Curaleaf takes our commitment to serve our communities beyond cannabis. As food insecurity affects every corner of the country, our Feed the Block initiative helps us feed our neighbors in need in communities where Curaleaf operates.

Curaleaf recently won the Minorities for Medical Marijuana’s Diversity & Inclusion Award and Cannabis Doing Good’s Good Neighbor Award for its work to advance diversity and inclusion in cannabis. 

As a Black, queer woman, how does it resonate being in a position to pave pathways in cannabis that can sustain careers and change lives?

Outside of what’s owed to these communities, cannabis equity is definitely personal for me. Members of LGBTQ were some of the first public cannabis activists on the frontlines fighting for cannabis legalization. Many Black people and people of color had their lives shaken up and were thrown into prison or charged criminally because of marijuana. Now, the perspective on marijuana is changing. People are understanding its benefits and legalization is becoming more common and widespread. 

With that, people are making a comfortable living off of cannabis and it’s important that those who help to build the industry are given a fair shot within it. Be it, entrepreneurship, supply chain, and retail ownership opportunities, or other business opportunities that help change the trajectory of their lives, for the better. 

Khadijah Bio 

Khadijah Tribble is a highly respected expert on equity and inclusion in the cannabis industry and has advised cannabis investors, government regulators, entrepreneurs, and businesses on policy, business development, and community impact. Before joining Curaleaf, Ms. Tribble founded Marijuana Matters (M2), a cannabis education and advocacy incubator, and is also the founder of the Marijuana Policy Trust (MPT), a think tank providing expertise toward building an inclusive and diverse cannabis industry. Prior to MPT, she was Chief Executive of Ground Game, LLC, a consultancy focused on health technologies, and was a co-founder and director of business operations for United Medical Center’s Rose Clinic. Ms. Tribble holds a master’s degree from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

 

The Lost Art of Grassroots Engagement

We live in a digital age. Most people are using their mobile phones to receive information and news updates, advertisers are pouring millions of dollars into social and digital media platforms to reach audiences, and couples are finding love through dating apps and websites. Clearly, any successful marketing campaign needs a digital component. But, what about the traditional forms of engagement and outreach – do they still hold any value?

Our recent work with one of our clients helped us to realize that traditional marketing can still be effective. And in some cases vital to the success of a campaign…

The Challenge

When a Fortune 150 Company made plans to do business in the District, many residents, government officials, and community leaders were concerned about the idea. A great deal of misinformation surrounded the proposed plan and created a vocal opposition to our client. The company realized that it was time for a change. They decided to switch up their strategy when the traditional means of reaching DC audiences failed. Up until this point, the focus was given to government relations and some limited digital and broadcast advertising.

Our team was in charge of mobilizing the community to show support and to maintain a positive public perception. To accomplish this, we activated our community engagement team. We worked on educating and informing residents from every corner of the city. Our canvassing team went door to door in neighborhoods, metro stations, bus stops, communities of faith, parking lots, senior centers, grocery stores and other areas where residents visit, work, and play. The goal was to generate letters of support and petition signatures in favor of our client. The results? We received over 12,000 letters of support signed by community members and leaders and collected over 10,000 hand-signed petitions. All of this illustrated the widespread community support for the company, which led to the eventual approval of the multi-million dollar business plan.

Successful Planning

The key to our success was that our team was not pushing an agenda. We had honest conversations with residents about what the merger entailed. And how it would impact the city and the benefits of the proposed merger. Residents were able to ask questions, discuss potential drawbacks, and gain clarity around the information we presented. Other key takeaways from this process – and any grassroots community engagement campaign – include:

  • Personal Touch – residents and community leaders appreciated that the companies cared enough to send out a street team to engage with them. In our fast-paced society, it is rare to have an opportunity to speak one-on-one with someone about an individual campaign or issue. There is a sincerity in this type of outreach that cannot be duplicated through any other channel.
  • Hard-to-Reach Populations – this campaign allowed our team the opportunity to reach many populations and communities. Even those that are often left out of generic mass media campaigns. We communicated with older adults, immigrant communities, and disenfranchised populations that may feel neglected or left without a voice in local government and business issues.
  • Complex Issues/Campaigns – the details of the proposed merger were extensive and multi-layered. Many of the benefits that residents would enjoy were very complex and incredibly difficult to translate into short messages. This made it more difficult to share through any digital, broadcast, print, or out-of-home outlet. Face-to-face engagement with residents was essential for our team. We had the ability to breakdown all the details of the proposed merger in terms that the general population understood.

Conclusion

All the new mediums and outlets are great for reaching target audiences and influencing behavior. However, they cannot replace the unique nature of engaging with consumers on an individual basis through grassroots outreach. It may take more time and additional funds, but the impact on communities is immeasurable.

Spreading the Word About Sexual Health

The World Health Organization defines sexual health as a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality.

Sexual Health is not a new concept. However, the way we communicate about it is changing, some would even say evolving. Every day we receive numerous messages about “getting healthy.” The mandate to gain and maintain health has become a focal point in today’s society but what does it mean to have sexual health?

Of course, we know the three pillars to overall health:

Illustration of a meditating holding a brain and kettle ball. Illustration reads, "spiritual health, mental health, and physical health."

But where does sexual health fit into this dynamic?

I submit that sexual health is the fourth pillar.

All of these forms of health work together to support the well-being of the whole person and sexual health is no exception because sexual health can affect all aspects of our lives.

The act of sex itself can relieve stress, boost your mood, and improve your sleep, but sexual health is more than just the act. Sexual health is about positive and affirming relationships, intimacy, pleasure, and safe sexual experiences.

With this in mind, when Octane works with our clients to communicate about sexual health, we focus on people and not disease or disorders. We understand the importance of creating opportunities for open discussion and allowing room for questions and exploration. Our goal has always been to promote sexual health in a non-judgmental way that empowers everyone to have a voice.

Sexual health is a cornerstone of holistic health and our sex-positive messages have to impact on beliefs and behavior. So, it is imperative that we show how integral sexual health is to our everyday lives. Our newest DC Health campaign does just that.

The Sexual + Being campaign centers on the idea that “Sex is a natural part of being.” That is being confident, empowered, brave or bold. Positive images and messages reinforce the idea that sexual health and sexuality are topics that we can discuss and embrace. We focus on breaking down barriers to information about sexual health without scare tactics or guilt.

The conversation about sexual health is evolving and we like where it is headed.

8 Tips to Successfully Capture Live Posts

Nowadays it seems like most organizations share live updates of their events via social media. Think about events like the American Music Awards tweeting celebrity red carpet looks or even local events such as Mayor Bowser’s Maternal & Infant Health Summit live tweeting. Why do organizations share their event via social media? Because of the added value! Social media can increase your event’s engagement by reaching a wider audience, even those who cannot physically attend your event.

If you want to broaden your event’s success, there are some key things to keep in mind before you start live posting. While it may seem easy to post at the moment, having a plan in place can help you prevent any foreseeable chaos. Here’s how my colleagues and I plan for a live event.

1. Make a list of things to share

What do you want to share on your social media accounts? Do you want to share pictures, videos, speaker quotes, or pre-drafted graphics? Create a list of action items you want to tackle when you live post. Having this list will allow you to prioritize your work and guarantee that you cover all of the messages you want to share on social media.

2. Create a hashtag

For your event, you will probably want to create a hashtag to accompany it. Associating a hashtag with your event will allow you to track the conversations and engagement from your audience. It also lets your audience follow along with any updates and participate in the conversation. Simply create a short hashtag that aligns with your event. For Mayor Bowser’s Maternal & Infant Health Summit, we selected #DCMaternalHealth as the official hashtag. Your hashtag should be no more than 18 characters to ensure that it’s user-friendly. A wordy hashtag may discourage people from using it, and it may create an issue with platforms like Twitter that only allows 280 characters.

3. Track your hashtag

Now that you created your perfect hashtag, you will need tools to track it. You may want to know how many people used your hashtag, the number of impressions, amount of engagement, and more. There are a couple of great tools available to gather these metrics. Consider using Sprout Social, TweetReach, and Keyhole to keep track of your analytics.

4. Create a lookbook

Will you have multiple speakers at your event? If you are covering their talking points via social media, it might be useful to have some key information about them. For our coverage at Mayor Bowser’s Maternal & Infant Health Summit, our team created a lookbook that included information about the speakers. In this lookbook, we included the speaker’s full name, title, organization, and social media handles. Having this information readily available made it easier to tag and quote speakers during their live session.

5. Have your equipment ready

Before your event, you will also need to decide what type of technology you will use to post your messages. Will you use your laptop, cell phone, or iPad? You need to understand your event’s layout and setup to select the best technology. If you are sitting down you may opt for a laptop, but if you are running around capturing content you may decide that using your cell phone or iPad is your best option. You will ultimately decide your preferred and most comfortable method for posting. Finally, make sure you have reliable charging options such as accessible outlets or portable chargers. You don’t want your cell phone or laptop to give out as you’re typing an important tweet about your event.

6. Make sure you have reliable internet

During big events, it’s common that internet access is unreliable and slow. And that’s the last thing you want to experience during a live event. Make sure you have reliable internet access whether it’s via WiFi, Hotspot, or via your internet provider.

7. Assign roles

Depending on the size of your event and number of social media accounts, you may need more than one person managing your content. Assign roles on who will be taking pictures, capturing live quotes, or recording videos. Every person involved should have a clear role and plan to execute their assigned task.

8. Engage with your audience

You might be pushing out 20 posts per minute on social media, but is your audience participating? Make sure you are not wasting your time and energy on only posting content. You also need to engage with your audience. Are people using your hashtag? Give a like or leave them a comment to let them know you are also listening to them. Having this open and mutual relationship on social media will not only increase engagement but show your audience that you value their participation.

Next time you have an event, keep these tips in mind. You will thank yourself later!