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Many companies striving to be good corporate citizens today face an internal tug of war between giving attention to community initiatives that address social problems and the growing demand to make environmental issues paramount.
Business stays the course on community involvement
By Allison Lee, Senior Research Associate, Boston College Center
Here at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, we recently conducted a survey which reveals that businesses have forged ahead with community involvement efforts as part of a continued commitment to corporate citizenship.
“Staying the Course – The 2009 Community Involvement Index” is a biennial survey of more than 300 North American companies in a variety of industries. It asks about companies’ community involvement programs, practices and management. Community involvement is the cornerstone of most companies’ commitment to corporate citizenship and the findings of this survey offer encouraging evidence that the foundation remains sound.
In the face of economic pressures of historic proportions, most companies held their ground in support of community involvement programs. While a significant percentage of companies cut their community involvement budgets, 62.1 percent maintained or increased budget levels. And though 37.8 percent of respondents’ companies cut their community involvement budget, only 20.9 percent decreased staffing.
In this snapshot of the community involvement field, we look at how companies manage and staff their programs, communicate about them and create strategies to integrate them into the overall business. The survey also examines the challenges of measurement and demonstrating value for the business and society.
Education again ranks high among the issues of critical concern to companies. But for the first time, environmental issues are rated as almost as great a concern as education, reflecting the increased concern of business, as well as the general public, with environmental issues. In the 2005 Community Involvement Index, environmental issues ranked only seventh among issues of concern to companies.
While many things are changing, check writing remains in vogue. Direct philanthropy remains a big part of community involvement with companies reporting average annual donations that range from less than $500,000 per year to more than $25 million per year. Almost a third of survey respondents say their companies donate on average between $1 million and $10 million per year.
Employees continue to be a vital part of companies’ community involvement programs through their volunteering. But participation levels in volunteering are not as extensive as might be expected. Just 30.3 percent of survey respondents reported that their companies have more than 30 percent employee participation and 45.3 have 15 percent or less participating in volunteering programs.
Does this data reflect what’s going on with your community involvement programs? Is your company ahead of its peers and leading the way in community involvement? Or, does the data demonstrate where your company still has work to do?
We’re very excited to be providing you with this timely data. To get the full snapshot, see the complete 2009 Community Involvement Index report, which is available only to Center members. Nonmembers may go to the web site to download a PDF of the survey’s Key Findings.
