NEWSBuilding Community Impact: How nuEra Cannabis Redefines Brand Success Through Social Consciousness
Feb. 12 2025, Published 1:47 a.m. ET
Socially conscious organizations thrive in today's iteration of business because they have learned how to balance profit and impact. Their business practices and the initiatives they champion reflect an awareness of the social and environmental impact of their actions.
Operating a socially conscious business model in today's world hasn't just proven to be good for an organization's bottom line; it has also been shown to boost brand loyalty. This isn't surprising, as 55% of American consumers believe organizations must take a clear stand on crucial political, environmental, and social subjects.
This shift in consumers' perception is responsible for the proliferation of companies adopting concrete corporate social responsibility strategies. However, statistics suggest that the hierarchy of companies with a well-established CSR strategy is top-heavy, with about 90% of S&P 500 companies already publishing annual CSR reports in 2019.
Large corporations often prioritize CSR initiatives due to their substantial resources and heightened focus on brand reputation. For smaller brands, there is increasing attention on how they approach CSR, with opportunities to explore innovative and meaningful contributions within their capacities
Many leaders and experts across industries disagree with this notion. Laura Bernal is the chief operating officer of nuEra, an Illinois-based cannabis company using CSR to its advantage. Founded in 2014 as "nuMed" at the beginning of Illinois' medical cannabis program, the company has evolved into a remarkable example of how smaller, family-owned businesses can effectively implement CSR strategies despite not being one of the industry giants.
Creativity propels brand differentiation
As time passes and more companies tap into the benefits of CSR, it's becoming more apparent that brands can't just copy another organization's CSR strategies if they plan to stand out.
To stand out in a sea of competitors, brands owe it to themselves to design a CSR strategy that's in sync with their core values and operational advantages. That will make it easier for them to implement social impact initiatives that will be perceived as authentic. An authentic initiative that will garner a positive response and grow an organization's audience and loyalty if designed and deployed creatively.
"Creativity requires doing what's never been done or doing something that's been done differently. It's meant to grab people's attention in unique ways and immerse them in your offering so they come away with a positive experience and a longing for more. Any organization that masters the art of creativity can apply it to their social impact efforts and stand out from the crowd with great results," explains Laura.
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Humans are naturally emotional and psychological creatures. This means they don't just care that a company creates a positive impact in the world; how this impact is delivered is just as essential and can often be the defining factor of CSR success or failure for any organization.
Niching down for greater results
It doesn't take too much digging to unearth multiple social impact needs that a brand can address, but trying to invest in addressing every social impact opportunity rarely works out. A creative social impact effort that is laser-focused on a particular cause can be very powerful for a brand.
Laura asserts that CSR initiatives that are niched down to one particular social or environmental issue or a particular demographic or community typically record the most impact. She explains that whatever cause a brand chooses to address should align with what they do while being of benefit to people who interact with their brand directly and indirectly.
"Brands that keep hopping from one social issue to another, or one demographic to another, and switch up their CSR frequently are giving their audience whiplash. An effective CSR is clear and consistent, without it, your audience won't know who you are or what you stand for," says Laura.
At nuEra, this philosophy has translated into a comprehensive approach to community impact that begins with their own organizational culture. nuEra is committed to fostering gender equality, exemplified by women holding the majority of leadership positions within the company. From their chief commercial officer to their heads of retail and cultivation operations, and extending to six of their eight retail store managers, the company's commitment to gender equality is woven into their operational fabric.
There are many success stories from brands that applied similar CSR templates as nuEra. The simple idea of CSR is that companies should use what their brand is known for to improve the lives of the people around them and beyond if they can help it. People's perception of a brand is crucial to the brand's future trajectory. Therefore, the onus is on organizations to put their best authentic foot forward on their social impact efforts, and the rewards will come in diverse ways.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
