Large organizations, like the Red Cross, Boy Scouts of American, and the YWCA, recognized early on the importance of establishing a positive, healthy relationship with their customers and the general public. The need for effective public relations was often emphasized when circumstances beyond a company’s or institution’s control created unfavorable reactions from the public. Society has taken greater interest in corporate responsibility and accountability since the 1960s, when groups formed to raise consumers’ awareness of business practices and protect consumers from everything from unsafe products to unsafe working conditions. These groups focused their attentions on universities and corporations, holding them accountable to their “publics” and reminding them of the importance, on many levels, of having good relations with their customers.