Online Firms Are Leading the Charge for Sustainable CSR

Online Firms Are Leading the Charge for Sustainable CSR PR Newswire DUBAI, UAE, September 26, 2012 DUBAI, UAE, September 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Speed, adaptability and community reach key differentiators from conventional campaigns CSR activities are no longer restricted to large organizations with heavy marketing budgets, due to the SME boom in the UAE and GCC. In particular, online firms are very often taking the lead in targeted CSR and community activities that make a measurable difference. "The advantages that online businesses possess in their commercial model - speed, adaptability, rapid response and community integration can also be channelled effectively to develop CSR campaigns. In fact, for smaller firms, CSR is not about making an expensive statement as much as it is to engage with the community for good causes as a daily way of conducting operations," said Mr. Warrick Godfrey, Co-founder & CMO of Dubai-based online group buying site Cobone. Cobone has seen tremendous success in local and regional markets, allowing people to access goods, services and luxuries at a fraction of their true price. In August, Cobone crossed the 1.6 million subscribers and has saved customers over AED 240 million in the process. The same model of bulk consumer buy-in can be used to create substantiated positive change, as Cobone demonstrated when it launched a not-for-profit deal that asked for donations to the UN World Food Programme (WFP).