The Importance of Corporate Philanthropy

“Giving back” — a common corporate phrase you may have heard from a number of businesses. But what does it really mean? Not too long ago, philanthropy was considered an unnecessary expense that would cut into shareholder profit. Today, customers and corporations “give back” more than ever before.  

Here at Copy & Art, giving back to our community is one of our foundational values. This is what “giving back” means to us.  

Philanthropy benefits us and the people we help 

Philanthropy not only builds the public image of a company but also creates customer loyalty through goodwill and trust. One study published in the Journal of Open Innovation concluded that “philanthropy plays a vital role in the improvement of society. If a company is more actively working for the welfare of a particular society, the more favorable opinions are generated about the company by consumers.”  

When considering where to volunteer or donate, look for organizations with values that align with your own. Your cause may be best served with either money or time, and both are valuable in different ways.  

Philanthropy is about more than money 

Don’t be concerned if you can’t afford to donate as much as larger companies. A Harvard Business School article detailed a study in which participants repeatedly preferred companies that donated a higher percentage of their overall earnings over companies who donated more money, but a lower percentage of their earnings.  

There are also other types of corporate philanthropy, including: 

• Volunteer Paid Time Off (PTO): Companies that allow employees to volunteer during the workday show that they care about the community and emphasize a sense of giving 
• Company Match: Companies match donations from employees to charitable causes  
• Company-Organized Volunteering: Companies arrange for employees to volunteer as a group, either on workdays or on weekends 
• Give Back Programs: Companies donate profits or goods as a percentage of sales. For example, for every pair of socks that Bombas sells, they donate another pair to a homeless shelter. Patagonia has pledged 1% of all sales to preserving the environment for over 35 years. 

Our philanthropy 

At Copy & Art, we believe in something called the “triple bottom line”.  

The triple bottom line is the concept that companies must treat people, profit, and the planet equally. This is essential for the long-term success of our business and society. Making a profit is always the goal of any for-profit company, but that doesn’t mean that profit must come at the expense of people or the planet.  

When companies consider people and the planet along with profit, it benefits all stakeholders. 

To us, giving back means uplifting others. As a women-owned business, it is important that we do our part to develop the next generation of female business leaders. We support Her Honor, an organization committed to providing young women with the learning opportunities and resources to get jobs and become leaders in their fields, and the Women’s Enterprise Development Center, which assists entrepreneurs by providing training, advisory services, and strategies to raise capital. We were excited to participate in the 2022 the Bronx Zoo WCS Run for the Wild 5k and the Feeding Westchester holiday food drive. 

We are also a minority-owned and -operated business which is why we are proud to support Sepa Mujer, an organization of Latina women dedicated to “building the power of the immigrant community towards advancing equity and justice.”  

Finally, we believe that all people are entitled to a decent place to live which is why we work with Habitat for Humanity, an organization that builds homes for the less fortunate around the globe. 

Founded in 2011 by Elena Rivera-Cheek, Copy & Art is a female- and minority-owned advertising company based out of White Plains, New York. We pride ourselves on being a different kind of ad agency. Led by a team of creatives from big agencies, we like to say we offer our clients big agency experience and small agency love.  

For more information, contact [email protected] or call (914) 607-7888 and be sure to follow us on social media.