CSR Research: Corporate Community Involvement

Volunteering can be its own reward. Researchers suggest that for women it can have long-term financial benefits as well.

When firms are determining their corporate giving efforts, they are influenced by their peers.

Corporate disaster relief efforts that are prompt, make use of in-kind donations, and partner with an NGO result in greater media attention, which has positive short-term financial benefits.

Companies should ensure they are communicating their commitment to employee volunteer causes internally.

To help nonprofits focused on economic wellbeing succeed, corporate funders must understand the context in which the nonprofit operates and competes for capital.

To generate the greatest response to cause-related marketing, companies should highlight the similarities between the consumer and donation recipient.

RESEARCH BRIEF - Consumer perceptions of corporate disaster relief vary based on the cause of the disaster.

RESEARCH BRIEF - Following natural disasters, people are most likely to respond to solicitations for charitable donations when the communication acknowledges their donation history and/or is issued by a local organization (or local chapter of a national organization).

RESEARCH BRIEF - Companies should make sure to tailor their cause marketing campaigns to balance discount and donation levels to maximize participation and reach campaign goals.

RESEARCH BRIEF - To increase donations to corporate giving campaigns, companies should integrate matching gifts programs and group competition. Individuals gave in greater amounts when matching gifts were offered, and gave even more when engaged in group competition.

RESEARCH BRIEF - Individuals show a strong preference to donate their time rather than money to charities, which provides support that giving time provides a greater ‘warm glow’ than giving money.

RESEARCH BRIEF - Trends reveal that corporate foundations are more likely to give to countries where they have employees, consumers, and/or suppliers. In regions with weak governance processes, corporate foundations are more likely to give through intermediaries to ensure proper stewardship of their gifts.