Consumer and Employee Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility

As digital marketing student Megan Kwiecien ‘22 learned about the global impact of socially responsible business during her time in the Cotsakos College of Business, she wanted to further explore the direct impact corporate social responsibility (CSR) had on both consumers and employees.

Through her Honors research project, Kwiecien hopes to pin down these external and internal effects, predicting that due to the rise in consumer pressure on companies to conduct more responsible business practices, such as reducing their carbon footprint and taking a stance on social justice issues, that organizations with a greater focus on CSR will see more sales and happier employees with increased retention rates.

According to Kwiecien, this data is important because it affects not only the companies and their future, but the future of the world.

“Continuing to research on topics surrounding CSR gives companies the resources to rethink their company values to meet their consumers' evolving beliefs,” says Kwiecien. “By doing so, corporations can positively impact their surroundings and provide another way to connect with customers and employees. The current pandemic and rise in social discourse in the past few years has also increased the demand for this sort of research.”

Kwiecien credits Janice Lai ‘07, marketing director at Behaviorally, as a valuable resource and mentor during her senior year at WP. Lai, assigned to Kwiecien by the Pesce Family Mentoring Institute, has provided meaningful insight and career advice in a multitude of ways.

“Her efforts have been great and she is genuinely interested in helping me succeed. In addition to reviewing my resume and cover letters, she has sent my resume to her connections at multiple companies. She is always available to answer any question I have, I highly recommend the Institute to all business students at WP,” says Kwiecien.

Kwiecien currently works as a digital marketing intern for the Cotsakos College of Business, her second internship after working as a digital marketing intern for Body & Brain Yoga Tai Chi in Wayne, NJ. She is also a member of the New Jersey Collegiate Business Administration Association, an honor which only the top one percent of New Jersey undergraduate business students are part of.

“Looking back at my four years at WP, I have enjoyed my time. You can find a lot of resources in different departments that will help you to succeed,” says Kwiecien, who also minors in women and gender studies. “Professors and faculty are eager to help you succeed on a professional and personal level.”

03/29/22