My Blog » Shouldn't BP be using social media channels to find solutions?

Despite BPs best efforts to turn the backlash of public opinion against it in the US, they have to date, been just about as successful as they have in their attempts to stop the torrent of oil flowing into the Gulf of Mexico. However this plays out, will the fact they have been open and timely in updating all of their social media channels make a blind bit of difference?

The plain fact is that social media is but one part of how a company presents its brands to the outside world. But this must also be supported by ‘living the brand’. In other words, not having a corporate social responsibility that pays lip service to *authenticity*, but is actually believed and lived by employees at every level and location.

Leaving the BP’s woes aside, an excellent way of getting employees to think and act responsibly is to implement an open internal communications policy and to employ the mindset of social media ie open and transparent in a bespoke solution that suits your business needs. Despite company’s and people’s fears about being exposed, the benefits are manifold. Shared knowledge, learning, innovative thinking. People who would not normally come into contact communicating. And the business benefits are clear: cost savings in areas such as less face to face meetings and increased profitability through innovative working and creative thought leadership. As the saying goes, a great idea doesn’t mind who owns it. Perhaps BP should be employing its social media channels to ask the public for solutions...