B Corps’ Social Media Communications during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Through the Lens of the Triple Bottom Line

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and rising demand for transparency has heightened the importance of sustainability communications on social media to generate deeper stakeholder engagement. Although B Corporations (B Corps), businesses committed to the triple bottom line (TBL), could serve as a catalyst for sustainable development, little is known about how they communicate on social media during a crisis. Therefore, we examined social media communications of B Corps to (1) identify salient topics and themes, (2) analyze how these themes align with the TBL, and (3) evaluate social media performance against industry benchmarks. We focused on the apparel, footwear, and accessories (AFA) sectors in the U.S. and chose Twitter, a platform known for crisis communication. Using a qualitative method, we found four topics and 21 underlying themes. Topics related to social/environmental issues and COVID-19 were most dominant, followed by product/brand promotions. Further classification of specific themes and cases from a TBL perspective demonstrated that, overall, B Corps in the AFA sectors leveraged various approaches to promote balance between each TBL dimension. Lastly, although collectively B Corps exceeded some of the Twitter industry benchmarks, at an individual level, most brands had room for improvement to build a stronger community and promote synergy among the three pillars of the TBL.

Prosocial messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal examination of email advertisements

“…As such, both the prosocial and blended categories illustrated how brands can and do promote responsible behavior during a global public health crisis as described by He and Harris (2020). There is an added emphasis on the need for authenticity (Mombeuil and Zhang, 2020) where consumers are demanding brands act in an ethical, deliberative fashion focusing on the health of people and the planet over profit (Ajina et al , 2020; Groza et al , 2011; Mann et al , 2021). However, as time went on, email advertisements became increasingly brand-focused and profit-oriented, which resulted in less authentic messages.…”

“…In an examination of the paradoxical nature of the triple bottom line, Ozanne et al (2016) explain, “Successful organizations cycle among the competing goals of the triple bottom line so that, over time, competing tensions can be attended to and pursued effectively” (p. 258–259). In the current context, the pandemic has ignited concerns about systemic problems in all aspects of business, including each component of the triple bottom line (Mann et al , 2021). To address this, firms shifted resources to address short-term societal needs caused by the virus such as health and safety precautions, social distancing and alternative delivery channels.…”

“…While an organization may appear to care for people and planet, the way firms frame their CSR messaging impacts consumers’ evaluations. As companies address consumers' heightened concerns, the authenticity of their intentions are brought into question (Mann et al , 2021). CSR and brand activism both require a level of authenticity, which requires continuity, credibility, integrity and symbolism (Pittman and Sheehan, 2020).…”

Collaborative Consumption: A Study of Sustainability Presentation in Fashion Rental Platforms

“…Kovács et al [43] sought to examine research articles on the topic of platform-based collaborative consumption economies within the last decade to define and classify the collaborative economy. Mann et al [44] sought to examine the social media communications of B-level certified corporations (B Corps) specializing in apparel, footwear, and accessories to analyze how they aligned with TBL and evaluate their social performance using industry benchmarks. Content analysis was used to identify themes in their communications.…”

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