Most companies are happy to sing the praises of their products or services. They’ll brag about their facilities, their staff expertise, and their corporate outlook to anyone who will listen.
Yet many of these same businesses suddenly become shy and quiet on the subject of charitable giving. Some see no value in discussing it, while others fear that talking about it will only make the company look crass and self-serving.
But if corporate citizenship is an important part of your company, it’s wise to let others know it. And there are tasteful ways to tell the story. It’s a matter of transparency, not spin. It’s a chance to illustrate your corporate values by showing where you are investing in the community.
Citigroup, for instance, has increased its support to micro lenders in developing countries over the past five years. In India alone, the company has provided grants for small loans to 900,000 women. As Citigroup positions itself to be the banker of choice globally, it is already building a name for itself in the developing world. Philanthropy is playing a starring role, but only because their target audience has been told where Citigroup stands.
A great way to present your corporate citizenship efforts is to keep the spotlight on the people who benefit from your giving. Instead of sending out yet another boring photo of someone holding a giant check, show examples of people who ultimately have been helped and how. Charitable organizations are often more than happy to praise the private companies who have helped make good programs possible.
It doesn’t always have to be about dollars either. Employee volunteer efforts to clean up parks, tutor children, or distribute food make great visuals for television and newspapers. By telling news outlets about these efforts to improve the community, your company can earn a reputation as a resource for good stories.
It’s true that a small company may not get a lot of media coverage for its individual philanthropy. The local business newspaper might give it only a few lines in tiny type on one of the back pages.
One way to break through the clutter is to make your company available as an illustration of a larger effort, such as citywide community service days or United Way campaigns. The combined efforts of volunteers from dozens of small companies makes for a powerful story, and media outlets often want to personalize the story by focusing on a specific company’s contribution. But media coverage isn’t the only way to get the word out. There are also opportunities to communicate directly with your own employees, customers, and board about your company’s giving.
By keeping them all current on your corporate citizenship efforts, you provide consistent reinforcement of the company’s values. Employees feel more a part of the community, outside stakeholders come to feel more connected to the company, and the community itself learns that the company is interested in more than just the bottom line.
