Imagine going into a store wanting to make a responsible purchase.

You don’t know a lot about it, so you ask one of the sales assistants about the sustainability of the products.

Now imagine the sales assistant as one big question mark because they have no idea what to say.

You end up buying a product that is not responsible because you were given the wrong information.

The same situation is a risk when it comes to sales teams and agents.

Normally, sales teams and agents are mostly focused on sales (no big surprise there), numbers, and what the customers want and don’t want.

So, if the customers aren’t interested in CSR, the sales teams and agents won’t be very interested in CSR.

As the CSR responsible, it’s important to work closely with the sales team and agents because they represent the company and often know the customers better than the rest of the company.

So, it’s important that they’re included.

But the question is: How do you work with someone, who focuses more on business and performance and also measures the performance differently?

We have gathered three things to remember when you talk with sales teams and agents:

Let them know what is happening

Keep them in the loop when it comes to CSR news and the company’s priorities and decisions.

Take the time to teach them about relevant CSR-related topics, such as different fibres and certifications.

That way, you can prevent potential misinformation and make sure that they don’t say anything wrong to customers.

Let them know why

For them to understand why they need to care about CSR (other than caring about the planet and its inhabitants), they need to understand its importance in a business context.

Emphasise and teach about the hidden costs of not doing anything, e.g., fines or negative media attention.

You can also tell them about the rising pressure from the government, the EU, and other authorities to incorporate CSR even though customers and consumers may not explicitly ask for it.

But another important task is to make sure they know why you’re making certain decisions and why you’re focusing on certain areas and aspects at certain times.

They don’t necessarily know why you’re focusing on getting certified or why everyone is talking about due diligence all of a sudden.

Include them

Let them ask questions and provide their input.

Ask them to share their insight about your customers and general customer trends.

It will also help make sure that they feel part of the process - not talked to but talked with.

Following these three pieces of advice can help you avoid the scenario we described earlier.

Instead, you’ll have a sales agent, who can tell the customers all they wish to know about your products.