5/6/10 - Collaborate for cause: Nonprofit-business partnership and how they benefit you

Session led by Megan Strand

KFC - pinkwashing with the Komen for the Cure cause marketing campaign - Are they reaching a part of society that Komen doesn't reach?

Dawn donates $1 - overlaps with sustainability and cause marketing because of 30 years of supporting their cause

Edelman credibility survey - 17% of people trust ads, more than 50% trust nonprofits' claims - credibility gap between companies and nonprofits

Overlap/intersections between philanthropy, sustainability and cause marketing - companies should incorporate all of them

Is "company" the missing piece in the three intersecting circles? Perhaps encapsulates them?

Should philanthropy be replaced with economic value? We're doing business.

Take sustainability and make it into a business model - elevate sustainability from social to economic value, make money from sustainability. Example: Walmart supporting local organic food.

Markets may not be ready for sustainable products yet.

Causes must be woven into the fabric of the business plan.

New Seasons Market, Burgerville, Keen, Regence all doing the right things.

Long-term, deep and meaningful partnerships are encouraging - not just PR, but a partnership with an organization who you as a business care about and want to promote

Move from one time event to quarter to quarter to annual to long-term outlook - need different levels of involvement

Keen looks at partnerships from the business perspective, e.g. donate product (shoes) to a nonprofit's clients - they get free shoes, Keen gets free product testing in real life