Partnering with companies and corporations is another arrow in the well-armed fundraising quiver … be it a local business in your home town or a global corporate behemoth.

Of course it’s a two-way street … even the most benevolent of businesses is looking for a tangible return on its ‘investment’. That’s why businesses refer to such relationships as ’cause-related marketing‘, after all.

Corporates have perceived the benefits of ‘social responsibility’ in terms of wrapping themselves in goodwill (creating a bit of a hedge against the inevitable corporate image hiccup, creating ‘warm fuzzies’ for employees, and perhaps assisting indirectly in the pursuit of political/regulatory agendas) as well as direct customer attraction.

Cone Communications is a leading expert in the field and regularly researches consumer attitudes worldwide regarding corporate social responsibility. Their latest study, briefly reviewed here, indicates that consumers are becoming more wary of corporate behaviour … more demanding of proof of good behavior. According to Cone, only about a quarter of consumers feel that companies are actually making significant impact on the issues they purport to be concerned with.

US consumers appear less likely to reward corporate good behavior. For example, 49% say they’d be willing to buy a lower-quality product from a more responsible company, compared with 61% of the global average.

According to Cone, 90% of people say they would switch brands to support a cause — good or bad news depending on which side of the cause the corporate stands! 53% say they have boycotted a product in the last 12 months.

So, if you’re thinking of climbing into bed with a corporate partner, really think it through and perform thorough due diligence. Consider the risks (i.e., the durability of their positive image and commitment) as well as the advantages in terms of augmenting your reach and exposure … and direct income.

And keep in mind that your donors are likely to harbour a certain cynicism about business behavior, especially as you court businesses operating beyond the boundaries of your own immediate community.

Tom

P.S. You can download the full Cone study here.