Survey Shows Views on Corporate Giving
October 7, 1999 | Read Time: 1 minute
Americans favor companies that spread their charitable dollars around to many causes and events rather than to just one or two, according to a new survey.
The survey of about 1,000 people was commissioned by Hill and Knowlton’s strategic-philanthropy unit, which advises companies on giving, and was conducted by Yankelovich Partners, a polling company.
Six out of 10 respondents said that they would “think more favorably” about companies that spread their philanthropy over many different causes. At the same time, respondents said they think that tangible results of a company’s giving — such as the extent to which a program it supports resolves a problem — is the best measure of success for corporate philanthropy.
Harlan Teller, a Hill and Knowlton official, said in a written statement that such responses show that “what Americans might not realize is that the more scattered a company’s involvement, the less likely it will be to have an impact in any area.”
Free copies of the survey results are available by contacting Kelli Moore at Hill and Knowlton, 900 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 2100, Chicago 60611; (312) 255-3082.
