Is Corporate Philanthropy still relevant? That was the question asked of some corporate philanthropists in Sunday's Washington Post.
The answer: corporations can make a significant impact by behaving differently in the way they purchase their ingredients and packaging, in the way they treat their employees, and by lending volunteers and expertise. As one respondent noted:
It's true that 'just send the check' philanthropy has been flat-lining for years -- the figure of about 1 percent of pre-tax profits for America's corporate giving has hardly moved for decades. But from experience, I know that close engagement with leading nonprofits makes a difference to my business and allows it to make a real difference in the results achieved by our nonprofit partners.
But, putting the hat of the nonprofit exec on, "...this stuff doesn't pay the bills and ensure that services continue".
I'd say this is not an either-or situation -- it's a "both".