Imagine Canada Publishes Report on Corporate Community Contributions

November 2019 Charity & NFP Law Update

In November 2019, Imagine Canada published Profit, Purpose, and Talent: Trends and Motivations in Corporate Giving & Volunteering (the “Report”), a report on corporate community investment. The Report will be of interest to charities and not-for-profits in understanding trends and motivations in corporate giving and volunteering in Canada. The Report summarizes findings from two Imagine Canada surveys of Canadian companies and of the national workforce about corporate community contributions, and discusses the role that prominent corporations and their employees play in philanthropy in Canada.

Of note in the Report, approximately 50% of the surveyed employees indicated that their employers’ charitable reputation was a factor in their decision to join the company. They also expressed that they were willing to forego, on average, 12% of their salary to work at a company that was more committed to providing community support. Additionally, employees at companies with payroll giving programs, workplace giving campaigns, and matching gifts expressed a much higher likelihood of donating to charities.

With regard to the companies surveyed, despite a decline in donations from individuals, 43% of companies indicated that they planned to increase their budgets for community investment. Further, companies that were “highly effective at community investment” believed they had innovative community investment teams, and were much more likely to incorporate their social objectives into their mission or purpose statements, as well as into their broader company strategies. These companies also showed a propensity to focus on optimizing the benefits of their investment, both for their business, as well as for the community, while setting up infrastructure to support community investment. In reviewing the findings from both employers and employees, the Report states that “companies do not have to sacrifice profits to give back to their communities.”

Charities and not-for-profits will be interested in reviewing the Report, which provides a compelling overview of the advantages to corporate community contributions. As indicated in the Report, employees value their employers’ community contributions, which can lead to long-term business advantages for corporations and “inspire generosity” amongst employees. 

Read the November 2019 Charity & NFP Law Update