Ever heard of Eddie Haskell? On the ‘50s sitcom Leave It to Beaver, he was the teenage friend whose overly polite manner toward Mr. and Mrs. Cleaver couldn’t hide his mean-spirited creepiness.

No company wants to be labeled “the Eddie Haskell of socially responsible companies.” Could that happen to you? Yes, if you’re claiming to be something you’re really not.

To be authentically socially responsible, your actions should be consistent with your corporate goals and culture.  Just posting a non-profit’s logo on your website or claiming to be dedicated to your community’s well-being isn’t enough. Your customers want you to walk the talk; in fact, 67% of American consumers say that a company’s social responsibility is very/extremely influential in deciding to buy a product or service from that company (Fleishman-Hilliard/National Consumers League Study, 2007). And a 2009 study, BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, found that 71% of consumers say they “avoid purchasing from companies whose practices they disagree with.”

Here are some ways to go beyond lip service and ensure your corporate social responsibility is authentic:

Revisit your mission statement. Your mission statement should link your company’s vision and values to your immediate community and beyond.

Solidify your corporate citizenship goals within your brand guidelines to keep them top of mind.

Commitment should be from the C-level on down. And I don’t mean photo ops with an oversized check and a handshake. The community wants to see your CEO with sleeves rolled up taking part in the cause.

Involve employees at all levels. Your employees will be proud to work for a company that lives out its values. Let them participate in choosing your company’s causes and then following through with the events and fundraising.

Consider all of your stakeholders. Communicate the value of your community relationships to your board of directors, investors, vendors and, of course, your customers, and invite them to participate in the events.

Take it to the community. Traditional media coverage is great, but if you want real transparency, bring your social marketing into the social media. Encourage comments and conversation through your corporate blog and other networks such as Facebook, Twitter, relevant LinkedIn groups, etc.

Corporate social responsibility is not an event, tagline or logo – it’s a core business principle. By integrating cause marketing into your corporate culture, you help create a better society while enhancing your brand image and visibility.