'Tis the Season

 By Carolyn Mayo, Executive Vice President, General Manager

Buy gifts: Check. Decorate house: Check. Cook: Check. Eat cookies: Check (Unfortunately) Party: Check. Check. Check. Go online and make donations: Check.

Wait – what was that? Yes, while we may outwardly and loudly support a variety of not-for-profit organizations all year long, it often comes down to the last few days of the year. According to a survey from Charity Navigator on year-end giving trends, charities receive 41% of their annual donations during the holidays and the online giving site, Network for Good, reports that 10% of donations actually happen in the last two days of the year! While there are lots of motivating factors for end-of-year donations – tax benefits being the most obvious – it is the time of year that we seem to step back, take stock and put our money where it means the most to us. Giving back is culturally ingrained in us, whether it comes from a religious, moral or societal standpoint.

While making choices to give back – time, talent or cash – are very personal decisions for each of us, it’s a bit more complicated for businesses. The 2011 Edelman Trust Barometer results show clearly shows that there is an expectation for businesses to invest in society, even if it risks shareholder value. Today, business must align profit and purpose for social benefit. And maybe most importantly, that “give back” must resonate with all of the organization’s stakeholders. That’s where a strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative comes in. At its best, they are programs that align with corporate values and culture, from the CEO down to the rank and file. It’s respected by peers and shareholders alike. And it’s an authentic and ownable reflection of an organization’s personality.

Still not sure that it’s all that important? Think again. Last year’s goodpurpose study pointed to a new dynamic in marketing and the emergence of the fifth “P” of marketing” where the age-old marketing mix of Product, Price, Place and Promotion have now been joined by a fifth “P”. . . Purpose. It’s no longer a “nice to do”; it is a “need to do”. The goodpurpose study shows that, after quality and price, the key purchase trigger is social purpose – outranking design, innovation and brand loyalty. Today’s consumers are not only demanding that companies show a commitment to good causes, they are willing to punish those that don’t.

This holiday season, there are a ton of examples of cause marketing and corporate social responsibility campaigns. One of best is eBay’s Give-a-Toy Store with Toys for Tots. Check it out here.

If you want to learn more about how your company should evaluate or create a strategic CSR program in the coming year? Give us a shout and we’ll bring some of the brightest and best thinkers to the table. In the meantime, go to the following for more information.

Edelman's 2011 Trust Barometer®, the firm’s 11th annual survey, gauges attitudes about the state of trust in business, government, NGOs and media across 23 countries.

The goodpurpose study is Edelman’s annual global research that explores consumer attitudes around social purpose, including their commitment to specific social issues and their expectations of brands and corporations. The survey was conducted in 13 countries among more than 7,000 adults. It is the only global study of its kind.

at Edelman, we don’t just talk about giving back and CSR, we walk the walk. Our commitment to global citizenship resulted in a total of $5.1 million in volunteerism and cash contributions in our 2011 fiscal year (July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011).

Charity Navigator is America’s largest and most influential charity rater and works to guide intelligent giving. It serves more than 3.3 million unique visitors and impact approximately $10 billion of charitable donations each year. This makes Charity Navigator far and away the largest and most utilized charity rating service that exists anywhere.