Cause-related marketing (CRM) or Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a way to tie a non-profit organization’s products or services to a corporate strategy to create a win-win-win situation. The customer wins by feeling good about the products or services he/she buys from the corporation. The non-profit wins by adding another revenue stream to its bottom line. And the corporation wins by creating goodwill, increasing revenues, and generating postitive public opinion about its social responsibility efforts.
This strategy is also a way to build in sustainability and environmental consciousness to the corporate game plan. This article from Foundation Center has great information about the history of CRM and what it is. It also provides links to print and internet resources for further background on CRM.
