Company Q - A Company without a clue

Part 1: An evaluation

Company Q, a small local grocer, appears to be a company operating with a total lack of understanding of social responsibility. By closing stores in certain neighborhoods, ignoring customer demands for items and only offering a limited selection of in demand items, and by throwing away food that could otherwise be donated, Company Q shows a lack of dedication and compassion to their community, indifference to the wants of their customers, and a lack of responsibility to their employees and stakeholders.

Part 2: Recommendations
There are a number of things that Company Q can do to increase their social responsibility to the community that they serve, their employees, and stakeholders.
First, Company Q can operate different types of stores in the different neighborhoods they serve. In lower-income areas stores can be operated as smaller neighborhood markets that offer fewer services and sell essential grocery items. Stores in middle-income, working class areas can be larger supermarkets that offer more services, and sell a mix of essential grocery items and specialty health and organic items. Higher-income areas can have stores that offer the same services as the general supermarkets, but offer a wider variety of specialty health and organic items along with imported and other high-end products. By diversifying the types of stores it operates, Company Q can respond to customer demands and expand its offering of high margin health and organic items, or any other items, in the areas where those products are in demand.
Secondly, Company Q should re-open stores in the higher-crime areas they have recently closed stores. By using the different store types for different neighborhoods, Company Q can show its support for the entire community by operating stores in all neighborhoods. They should also partner with the local high schools in the higher crime areas to operate a work-study program to encourage students to get jobs and contribute to the community instead of falling into the cycle of crime.
The third and final thing Company Q can do to improve their social responsibility would be to setup a “Q Cares” program. This program can partner store managers with local food banks to ensure that day old items that would normally be thrown out can be distributed to those in need. By having the program operated by management at the store level, management can ensure there is no fraud in the program. “Q Cares” can also sponsor community outreach programs and youth athletics, participate in local disaster relief programs and encourage employee volunteerism in order to be a partner with the local community.
By implementing these items, Company Q can increase their social responsibility to the community they serve and form a better, long lasting relationship with the members of that community.