Let's start with the positive aspect of how these two important ideas feed off of one another. Good Public Relations strategies help a non-profit/philanthropic cause shine. Think for a moment about our top 5 contenders that we as a class selected. How did each organization convince us that their causes are the most worthy out of the 50+ options we were allowed to choose from? One might argue that we had our individual biases about which organizations we wanted to choose, however, I am going to argue that the groups we chose all had a convincing story to tell. This is esentially what PR is there for: telling a story, making people believe that your cause, event, candidate, etc. should be on your radar of importance.
The other side of this interconnection that is not so wonderful is this idea of "corporate philanthropy." A simple way to describe corporate philanthropy is when companies get involved in some sort of act of philanthropy to be in the media/public eye's good graces. This to me is a bit concerning. We have been discussing a lot in class, particularly towards the beginning of the semester, about the power of intent. I have been battling this question in my head as we have continued the semester, and even writing this blog post entry. As someone who is about to have two years of specific training in PR tactics such as understanding audience and social media analytics, I can't help but wonder if this corporate philanthropy is causing more harm than good.
The undeniable truth is the in order for companies to continue making profits, they need to uphold their reputation and the best strategy is by implementing acts of kindness and philanthropy. For one of my tweets of the week, I shared this link that gives a much more vivid breakdown of how Public Relations employees look at the value of added philanthropy. According to this site, philanthropic giving by companies does make an actual difference. It was also interesting to see that certain types of philanthropic causes generate more heightened media attention such as education, community development/housing, healthcare and children.
Here's my personal take, a resolution (or compromise) on how to make philanthropy come from the heart while benefitting companies and their repuations. What if companies actually went out into the community more instead of just writing a check? What if employees were required as part of their training/initial orientation to learn about the value of philanthropy or at least have a better understanding of the philanthropy their company supports and why that organization is essential to the greater good of the community? This article gives some excellent suggestions instead of just taking the easy way out with a signature on a check.
I would love to hear your thoughts!
The undeniable truth is the in order for companies to continue making profits, they need to uphold their reputation and the best strategy is by implementing acts of kindness and philanthropy. For one of my tweets of the week, I shared this link that gives a much more vivid breakdown of how Public Relations employees look at the value of added philanthropy. According to this site, philanthropic giving by companies does make an actual difference. It was also interesting to see that certain types of philanthropic causes generate more heightened media attention such as education, community development/housing, healthcare and children.
Here's my personal take, a resolution (or compromise) on how to make philanthropy come from the heart while benefitting companies and their repuations. What if companies actually went out into the community more instead of just writing a check? What if employees were required as part of their training/initial orientation to learn about the value of philanthropy or at least have a better understanding of the philanthropy their company supports and why that organization is essential to the greater good of the community? This article gives some excellent suggestions instead of just taking the easy way out with a signature on a check.
I would love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteCool post, it made for an interesting read. Personally, this might sound odd, but it does not entirely bother me that some corporations do philanthropy for the "wrong" reasons. Many corporations have social responsibility departments. Their main job is to do PR. Yeah, maybe the intentions are not altruistic, but if the positive impact is made without bringing harm to the issue or masking the company's wrong doing, then, honestly, I take no issue. On the other hand, if the corporation is trying to mask some of its evil deeds, then we should be upset. Unfortunately, it's difficult to track these types of dilemmas.
One model for corporate philanthropy that I like is Googles. Google's corporate giving program doesn't just handout a check, rather it empowers its employees to volunteer or donate and matches it.
These are the program's details:
"Matching Gift Programs at Google
Google Earth software is often used for disaster relief.
If you’re a full-time or part-time employee of Google, up to $6,000 dollars of your personal donations can be matched annually. Google will match donations made to nearly all 501(c)(3) organizations and educational institutions.
Another $6,000 dollars in contributions made to disaster and international relief are also eligible to be matched. That means up to $12,000 can be matched annually per employee.
If you’re a fundraiser, Google will also match funds that employees raise from fundraising events like marathons or dinners.
If you can’t make a personal monetary donation you can still raise money for a charity as a Google employee. Google will donate $50 for every 5 hours an employee volunteers with an eligible nonprofit."
I think this model works really well in the work place. The culture encourages and promotes giving back. Google doesn't pick for you, it lets you pick on your own. As a corporations it has specific non-profits it funds, but on the individual employee level, Google empowers its employees to give back. This mindset is part of the Google culture. Even within the company, they have something called the Campus Advocate Program. This program encourages recent grads to reach back to their alma mater and share their experiences with students.
Ashley, I think your two passions can definitely be linked and it doesn't necessarily have to be bad. You just have to find a company that aligns with your core values.
Hi Ashley,
ReplyDeleteI really wanted to thank you for bringing a new perspective to our class about the important of PR in philanthropy. It is something that many of us underestimate in terms of its impact in the community. Public relations is so essential in getting monetary supporters but I think it also has a hand in strengthening a community. The article that you posted definitely demonstrated that companies that take the unconventional route can do good while have people invest in their mission and their company. A good relationship is better than a bad one. I think as you move on in your career and education, if you could find a way to make a difference that you are passionate about, you will be fine and do fantastic where ever you pursue your future. I think one thing is to remember what your values are and see how creatively you can do outreach.