Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy Briefs

What makes corporate-nonprofit partnerships work? Interviews with representatives from both sides suggest it's about clarity at the outset, consistency in terms of having shared goals, and being comprehensive in terms of making an impact.

The Western Union Foundation has established a new goal to invest $15 million within three years, with a focus on empowering displaced and marginalized youth to succeed in today’s technology driven global economy. I recently spoke with Elizabeth Roscoe, Global Head, Corporate Brand and Purpose, and Executive Director, Western Union Foundation, about the investment. This is an excerpt of our conversation.

Would having nonprofits publicly disclose their donors help to maintain the integrity of the nonprofit community as it navigates recent scandals? With rare exceptions, nonprofit organizations are not required to disclose the names of their donors to the public. But these organizations are formed for the public benefit and are exempt from paying taxes on their income, so it might be time to expect increased transparency.

Can companies boost job satisfaction by better incorporating purpose into their strategies and processes? The Conference Board’s latest job satisfaction report found that 53.7 percent of workers are satisfied with their jobs, but by adding strategies grounded in purpose, some of the job components with which workers are least satisfied could be improved.

Airbnb gives consumers choice. Lyft can get you anywhere, anytime. TOMS makes your purchase count for two. Today’s companies significantly impact consumer behavior, from what you do to how you do it, and everything in between. The corporate role in disaster philanthropy—and influence over consumer and employee giving trends—is no different.

Learning and knowledge sharing are important topics in philanthropy. By adopting a learning orientation and exchanging knowledge with others, grantmakers can better position themselves to address the complex problems they’re working to solve today.

What are the hallmarks of an effective program to promote youth education in Africa? According to Reeta Roy, CEO and President of the Mastercard Foundation, no one organization can address the issue alone—partnerships are critical. Achieving bold transformation means bringing together the right leaders and organizations to build on existing momentum in countries like Ghana.

Corporations are critical to disaster philanthropy, not just because of the dollars they provide. They are often more nimble than governments in reacting to disasters, providing dollars and services minus the red tape. The Ryder Charitable Foundation, a Disaster Responder member of the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Program, is taking the lessons of 25 years in disaster philanthropy and applying them to recent challenges.

Become a funder and suddenly you're the funniest, smartest, and best-looking person in the room. But what if a simple joke like this reveals an underlying truth about inherent power dynamics that exist between funders, nonprofits, and constituents? Funders need to realize that the perspectives of individuals and communities who are directly affected by issues can be quite different that those of nonprofits.