Giving Compass' Take:

• U.S. Trust conducted a recent survey that took stock in the attitudes of business leaders when it comes to philanthropy, and found that the appetite for doing good was strong.

• Many executives serve on boards and a growing number consider themselves "social entrepreneurs." That's why it's so important that private and public organizations explore more collaboration.

• Here's how to make everyone care about Corporate Social Responsibility.

Like many people of means, owners of successful businesses often make personal donations to nonprofit organizations, but many wield more than their checkbooks to advance the work of their favorite charities. They make the business itself a change agent, leveraging assets like the skill sets of their employees, office equipment, unsold inventory and even the corporate jet to help nonprofits achieve their missions.

“Many people equate philanthropy with making large donations — the kind that get people’s names on the wall of a hospital wing or a new college dormitory at their alma mater,” says Gillian Howell, philanthropic consulting and advisory executive at U.S. Trust. “Business owners do write checks, but they also provide expertise and other company resources that are invaluable to nonprofits.”

The 2017 U.S. Trust Insights on Wealth and Worth® survey,** an annual query of the attitudes, goals and behaviors of high-net-worth individuals in the United States, revealed that 95% of business owners actively support nonprofits. For many, this means serving on a nonprofit board. More than 30% of survey respondents who own businesses serve on at least one nonprofit board, with many serving on six or more — an astounding figure given the demands placed upon board members.

Read the full article about making business a force for good by James Moore at U.S Trust.