Honest Tea Honesty

Honest Tea is known for its healthy, organic beverages. Through its mission, the company strives to grow with the same honesty it uses to craft its products. Recently, the CPG company put consumers to the test in its "Honest City Social Experiment."

During the past few months, the company set up unmanned pop-up stores in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Stocked with Honest Tea, the freestanding displays tested the honesty of residents. A collection box embedded in the impromptu store encouraged passers-by to purchase an Honest Tea beverage for $1 on the honor system. Hidden cameras recorded the actions of locals in each city and captured the results – did people drop a dollar in the box or walk away with a free bottle?

Here are the results: the most honest Honest Tea drinkers came from Boston, with 93.3 percent of individuals paying for their drink. Washington, D.C., came in next at 93 percent, followed by San Francisco at 91 percent. New York City and Atlanta tied at 89 percent. Chicago and Los Angeles did not fare as well in the study, coming in at 78 and 75 percent of people contributing a dollar for their beverage, respectively.

The test not only reinforces the brand's mission, but also speaks volumes about the ethics of Americans in major U.S. markets. I think the experiment was a buzz-worthy, relevant, and clever way to promote the company and its brand. What about you? And are you surprised by these results? Leave a message with your thoughts!

Companies with a Conscience

In April, the Ethisphere Institute released its list of the World's Most Ethical Companies. According to the organization, "the designation recognizes companies that go beyond making statements about doing business ethically and translate those words into action." Companies awarded the designation lead the way in the ethical practices and compliance programs.

Although the Ethisphere Institute does not create the registry with a specific number of slots in mind, the 2010 list encompasses 100 companies in a variety of industries. This year, 26 companies are new to the list, while 24 companies from last year's list are absent in the current edition, mainly from increased competition.

To make the list, companies submitted applications throughout the year for consideration by a methodology committee comprised of attorneys, professors, government officials, and organization leaders. Semi-finalists received an in-depth survey regarding ethics, compliance, governance, and corporate social responsibility. Upon data verification, the Ethisphere Institute assigned each company scores in seven categories:

• Corporate citizenship and responsibility
  
• Corporate governance
  
• Innovation that contributes to public well being
  
• Industry leadership
  
• Executive leadership and tone from the top
  
• Legal, regulatory, and reputation track record
  
• Internal systems and ethics/compliance program

Campbell Soup Company, General Mills, and PepsiCo were among the food and beverage companies on the list. Food stores Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and Whole Foods Market also made the list, as well as specialty retailers Best Buy, Gap, IKEA, and Target. Starbucks was the only restaurant/café to earn a spot the list.

To learn more about the report, download the 2010 Ethisphere Media Responsibility PDF.

What about you? Are you more inclined to purchase goods and services from businesses that are recognized for their ethical or corporate social responsibility practices? Leave a message and tell me about your shopping preferences.