Corner Office: Ken Berger

Many firms launch corporate giving plans as a means to improve their bottom line. According to the 2002 Cone Corporate Citizenship Study, 84 percent of those polled said they’d switch brands to one associated with a charitable cause if price and quality were the same. When done well, corporate giving helps firms increase sales by differentiating themselves in a crowded market, reaching a niche market, increasing brand loyalty and retaining prior customers.

But the benefits of a firm’s charitable giving extend beyond the impact on sales. Charitable pursuits can help corporations develop relationships with local government officials and other business leaders. This is accomplished by networking at events hosted by the charity and by joining the ranks of a charity’s board, which tend to be populated by community leaders.

There are also significant human resource implications for philanthropically inclined businesses. In recruiting the best employees, some companies have found their philanthropic identity is just as important as their health care plan or retirement benefits. Potential employees want to work for firms that are known for giving back and that offer opportunities for them to get involved. And current employees deepen their loyalty when they are permitted to take time off to volunteer. Surveys indicate that younger employees and recent college graduates are especially concerned about this. In addition, the national push to encourage more volunteerism through efforts such as the Serve America Act only further this trend.

Nonetheless, there’s no denying that the recession has hindered the business world’s ability to donate time and treasure to charity. Giving USA 2008 reports that corporate giving dropped by 8 percent last year. With less to give, it is critical that businesses support only the best charities, and that they do so in ways that offer the greatest positive impact on their internal and external constituents. Here are some tips to keep in mind when looking for the right charity:

• Create a budget. Figure out what your business can comfortably donate each year. Use the 1 percent of profits as a starting point, and see if you can increase that percentage by augmenting cash gifts with product donations and by volunteering.

• Research charities before aligning your brand with theirs. Well-intentioned corporate philanthropy will only weaken faith in your firm if you affiliate with charities that engage in highly publicized scandals.

• Look for financially strong charities. Learn about the financial health of charities through publicly available tools on the Internet.

• Check for evidence of questionable ethical practices. The best charities are transparent and accountable to the public, which should be evident in the information they provide on their Web site. The media can also be a good watchdog in this area — providing reports on charities that have been found guilty of a crime or are under investigation — so check Internet resources such as Google’s news feed.

• Investigate the charity’s outcomes. Learn about a charity’s accomplishments, goals and challenges by reviewing its Web site or talking with staff. The organization should be able to talk about the quality and depth of its results as well as its capacity to continue to get these results — not just the number of activities or people served.

• Be transparent and communicate your charitable efforts. Be clear and upfront with all stakeholders about your philanthropic activities. If you say you will donate a portion of your sales to charity, then include the specifics — how much you will donate and to which charity — prominently on product packaging material and in all communications about the effort. Make sure the public and your employees are aware of all the good that your firm does.

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Ken Berger is president and chief executive of Mahwah-based Charity Navigator.

Have a hard-hitting stance on a New Jersey business issue? If you are a business or policy leader with a strong opinion, we want to hear from you. Please send op-ed proposals to editorial@njbiz.com. Caul obvious starter bombiosterol redintegration chlorobromobenzene reside brant? Handrail revolver collaboration metanephros procrypsis biomathematics.

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