It seems to me that for many small businesses trying to survive the economic downturn, concerns about the environment and local community have fallen low on the agenda, with efforts limited to acting within the boundaries of the law. But with proper planning, good ethical policies can be integrated into everyday working practices for very little cost.

Here are five simple, low-cost steps you can take to improve your business’s approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR), and improve your reputation along the way.

1) Make your office green

If you only have a handful of staff in your office, recycling can feel a little pointless; unlikely to make an impact in the grand scheme of things. However, small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Britain collectively employ over 13 million people, so a combined effort to think green could have a significant impact on world waste production and carbon emissions.

Careful use of stationery, such as the replacement of notepads with a box for scrap paper, and energy saving policies, such as switching off lights and computer equipment when not in use are simple examples of how you can act green while actually saving your business money.

Like most things, a drive towards greener working practices will only succeed if your staff are on board, so make sure all managers are fully briefed on the changes and distribute the guidelines in writing to every member of staff. In addition, consider including details of your environmental policy on your corporate website as this will reflect positively on your business while encouraging others to adopt a greener ethos too.

2) Become a public speaker

Offering the knowledge and expertise of key staff members to the local community usually costs nothing other than time and can often be of huge benefit to local businesses and causes. For example, speaking to students at universities and colleges about your business can provide them with invaluable business knowledge, while simultaneously raising your profile and increasing the likelihood that talented students will approach your business for a job upon graduation.

3) Sponsor a local cause

Despite the financial costs, there’s a great deal to be said for sponsorship. If you choose your target carefully, sponsorship can provide very positive exposure for your business on a large scale, at a fraction of the cost of advertising. When selecting a project or endeavour to sponsor, focus on those that are relevant to your local community, likely to succeed with your funding, and, ideally, already have a plan in place to attract media attention.

4) Offer support for local projects and events

If sponsorship is beyond your financial capabilities, becoming involved with a local project or event can be an excellent way to put your skills or assets to use in the community. Whether you offer a free consultancy, lend resources or even spare a little of your time, this is a great way to make your business known to local clients. If you employ a PR firm, you could also consider asking them to promote your involvement, thus raising your own profile while helping to publicise the cause.

Local events also provide excellent networking opportunities, offering you a chance to get out into the community and connect with potential clients you might otherwise never have met.

5) Trade responsibly

Corporate social responsibility is not just about investing in the community and reducing your environmental impact, it’s also about working responsibly with customers and suppliers. Review company literature to make sure all of your products and services are explained clearly, fully and honestly and think ethically about the customers you target. For example, targeting pensioners on a fixed income with a high interest loan would not be considered ethical. You could also review your complaints procedure to ensure that all issues are dealt with promptly and that you are open and honest when things go wrong.

In addition, you could look at reviewing your complaints procedure to ensure that all issues are dealt with promptly and that you are open and honest when things go wrong. In addition to improving the overall customer experience, this should prove beneficial to your business’s reputation and improve your chances of receiving referrals through positive word of mouth.

Far from being ‘just a PR exercise’, corporate social responsibility is about investing in improving your business for the benefit of everyone it comes into contact with, including your staff, customers, suppliers and the wider community. And by taking a few steps towards more ethical trading, you could see significant cash savings, an improvement to your reputation and even an increase in revenue.