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\u201cPeople want brands to step in and solve things that government can\u2019t.\u201d With the latest news of #BoycottNRA and the #MeToo movement, it could seem that this is an idea plucked from recent headlines. But the role of business in social issues has been a part of the conversation for centuries. Anne Bahr Thompson is a leading expert on this and author of the new book\xa0Do Good.We discussed corporate social responsibility, brand citizenship, and more\xa0on this week\u2019s episode of the On Brand podcast presented by\xa0Twenty20.\nAbout Anne Bahr Thompson\nWith more than 25 years of experience as a global brand strategist, Anne Bahr Thompson is an accomplished researcher, writer and speaker, the pioneer of the strategic framework of Brand Citizenship\xae, and a Trust Across America 2018 Top Thought Leader in Trust.\nA former executive director of strategy and planning and head of consulting at Interbrand, the world\u2019s leading brand consultancy, Anne founded Onesixtyfourth, a boutique consultancy, to integrate cultural shifts & a social conscience into brand development. Her writings have appeared in Economist Books, hbr.org, The Guardian, Brand Quarterly, Bloomberg News, and many other publications.\nAnne\u2019s new book,\xa0Do Good: Embracing Brand Citizenship to Fuel Both Purpose and Profit, is available in stores and online now.\nEpisode Highlights\n\nICYMI: Do Good at SXSW.\xa0Last week, I mentioned Anne\u2019s work and her new book\xa0Do Goodlive episode from SXSW\xa0during our where we discussed brands taking a stand socially and politically.\xa0Listen now.\nDid you know \u2026\xa0Being a sucker for interesting brand names, I had to start the conversation with a question about the name of Anne\u2019s consulting practice,\xa0Onesixtyfourth. I won\u2019t paraphrase (I\u2019m not sure I\xa0can\xa0paraphrase). It involves three Egyptian gods and an essential ingredient in taking things apart. Curious? You\u2019ll have to listen to the episode for more. SPOILER: It involves leaving room for magic and exploration.\nWho excels at brand leadership?\xa0The usual CSR suspects always show up: TOMS, Warby Parker, Seventh Generation, Whole Foods, and Patagonia. But in 2011, Anne was surprised to see Apple leading the pack at a time when they were being lambasted for supplier relations. Why the disconnect? \u201cBecause Apple enriches people\u2019s lives. It\u2019s a huge \u2018me\u2019 proposition.\u201d\nHow brands can \u201cdo good\u201d in five steps.\xa0Anne has broken this down into a five-step process: (1) You have to deliver on trust \u2014 have you done what you said you\u2019ll do? (2) Enrichment \u2014 how are you enriching customers\u2019 lives? To the previous point, Apple does this. (3) Responsibility \u2014 first to your employees and then the environment; this is where the pivot happens between being a \u201cme brand\u201d and a \u201cwe brand.\u201d (4) Community \u2014 bringing people together through shared ideas. IBM did this with their values jam. (5) Contribution \u2014 this final step is when it\u2019s part of the enterprise like Seventh Generation.\nTaking the first step.\xa0If this sounds scary, read Anne\u2019s book for a step-by-step guide. When I asked Anne for a first step, she replied: \u201cCourage. It takes courage to do something that doesn\u2019t have a formula. It takes vulnerability.\u201d\nPouncing on a brand vs. giving a brand a chance.\xa0In today\u2019s fast-moving media zeitgeist, many brands stumble and many are called out. \u201cYou have to punish companies behaving irresponsibly. But anyone who\u2019s trying deserves a chance. We need to come together to solve problems.\u201d\nWhat brand has made Anne smile recently?\xa0I was worried when Anne said she was going to deflect this question but her reason was insightful. \u201cThere\u2019s no one brand. The ones that make me smile are the ones people city in my research.\u201d A valid and data-driven answer.\nTo learn more,\xa0go to\xa0brandcitizenship.com\xa0and connect with Anne on\xa0Twitter\xa0and\xa0LinkedIn.\n\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices