CR is Smart Business

APCO often works with the team at Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP). Charlie Moore, CECP’s executive director, responded to several recent editorials that questioned the purpose and business value of corporate philanthropy. You can read his full response on the CECP website, and I just wanted to call your attention to this point:

The private sector, in comparison to other sectors, is able to move quickly and constantly innovate, drawing upon all the resources of the firm. By applying the same capitalistic models that business successfully employs in its core business operations towards solving social challenges, business can maximize profit and social impact. The key for business leaders is to strategically choose to act on issues which are linked to the future success of their business and which they are uniquely qualified to affect the outcome, and to refrain from getting involved in areas where they can’t be effective. 

Corporate philanthropy, or strategic social investment, works best when a company takes what it knows and/or does best and uses that intellectual capital, competitive advantage or expertise to address a social or environmental issue. And, as CECP members will tell you, it’s smart business to do so. According to a research report CECP issued earlier this year, 70 percent of CEOs agree that embedding social engagement into business strategy is the most important action they can take to prepare for 2020.

So, if your business and social interests are not yet aligned, it’s time to start working on it.