Guide Sells Socially Responsible Shopping : Consumers: ‘Shopping for a Better World’ rates companies’ commitment to environmental and political issues--and boardrooms are listening.

In a world filled with myriad political and social agendas, the last place one would think you’d be able to make a statement is in the shopping cart.

But the dollar is a powerful tool, perhaps the most powerful Americans have, and what you buy can indeed send a message--all the way to the corporate halls of power.

Deciding to buy, or not to buy, an item based not only on its quality and price, but on the policies of the company that makes it, is the theory behind socially responsible shopping.

This practice has consumers make choices that take political, social or environmental issues into account.

“Price has to be the No. 1 criterion for many, but it doesn’t have to be the only,” said Alice Tepper Marlin, president of The Council on Economic Priorities, editors of the just-published “Shopping for a Better World,” a guide to socially responsible shopping.

“Sometimes we make a trade-off of price for quality, price for taste,” she said, adding that one could also make a choice of “price for social responsibility.”

Not that a trade-off is always necessary.

“Sometimes the socially responsible product is the least expensive--price is not always the best indicator” of a company’s policies, she said from the New York-based organization’s headquarters.

What constitutes social responsibility differs with each person. For example, one may be primarily concerned with the environment or workplace issues or animal testing.

The book rates about 200 companies, listing thousands of their products, with ratings on how the companies score when it comes to commitment to the environment, charitable giving, community outreach, women’s advancement, minority advancement, family, workplace issues and disclosure of information.

Additional comments disclose whether the company is involved in animal testing, and to what degree.

Grades are given A to F. A is outstanding, worth four points, and F is failing, worth zero.

Of the companies rated in “Shopping for a Better World,” 20 earned a grade point average of 3.5 or better.

The book says:

“Of course, no company is perfect. But these certainly are companies that deserve a lot of credit, companies whose product you may want on your shopping list, where you might want to work, and whose securities you might like to see in your investment portfolio.”

Companies on the honor roll range from the privately held Aveda Corp., maker of hair, beauty, skin and household products from organically grown plants and flowers, to computer giants Digital Equipment Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co.

Other honor roll members include Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Co., General Mills Inc., Johnson & Johnson, S.C. Johnson & Son Inc., Kellogg Co., Levi Strauss & Co., Nordstrom Inc., Rhino Records Inc. and Tom’s of Maine.

The book is divided into numerous product categories and looks at consumer goods, foods and supplies--the contents of a typical shopping cart.

For example, Sure & Natural feminine hygiene products, made by Johnson & Johnson, receive straight A’s for all categories except environment, where they received a B.

Comments showed that Johnson & Johnson used animal testing for medical products only and was making significant alternative efforts. It also has on-site child care for workers.

Another product, Good Humor ice cream, owned by Unilever Plc, a U.S.-Dutch owned conglomerate, did not fare so well. It got Bs in environmental and workplace issues, Cs in charitable giving, community outreach, family and disclosure of information, a D in minority advancement and an F in women’s advancement.

Deciding to buy only those products that rate high on the socially responsible scale is not always feasible, Marlin said. Price, availability and preference are vastly important when making shopping decisions.

“You don’t have to buy everything that’s socially responsible,” she said. “As long as companies know this is one factor, companies will pay attention.”

If a shopper makes one socially responsible choice, she said, that’s still enough to send a message to the corporate headquarters that this is something consumers think is important.

She added that socially responsible shopping can work in the opposite direction as well, sending a message that you choose not to buy a product because of corporate policy.

In the final analysis, helping corporations become more responsible to the needs of its workers as well as the outside world is the goal, even if particular products never end up on your kitchen shelf.

“You can write to a company, too.” Marlin said. “That doesn’t cost any more than a piece of paper and a stamp.”

“Shopping for a Better World,” published by Sierra Club Books, can be ordered by calling (800) 935-1056. It costs $14.