Giving Compass' Take:

• The Conference Board is a global membership think tank that strengthens corporate giving by creating tools for businesses to utilize for their CSR initiatives. 

• What research is needed to engage corporations in CSR efforts focused on community-based development?

• Read about the new era of corporate social responsibility. 

The idea of giving is, of course, as old as civilization, but giving by businesses has a much shorter history. Some companies that were established in the 19th century began making modest contributions to the community shortly after they were founded (e.g., American Express made its first contribution in 1875 to aid victims of a fire in Boston), but most corporate philanthropic programs have come into existence within the last century.

This year, The Conference Board, a global membership think tank that helps business leaders navigate challenges that face them across industries and geographies, is celebrating 75 years of providing support for corporations with their philanthropy and employee engagement activities.

The Conference Board’s work in this area began in 1943 when it began tracking corporate contributions during World War II when businesses were giving to charities helping those disrupted by the effects of the war both at home and abroad.  It has since expanded its work to include other aspects of what is now widely referred to as corporate social responsibility: sustainability, impact measurement, employee volunteering and strategic community engagement.

Most recently, The Conference Board established a Corporate Citizenship & Philanthropy Institute. The Institute includes three councils where senior executives come together to collaboratively explore solutions to key issues in the field, and to gain access to exclusive research on topics pertinent to corporate philanthropy and employee engagement. The Institute also produces an annual corporate philanthropic practice conference and the Giving Thoughts research series, which are valuable tools for both emerging and established corporate social responsibility and philanthropy professionals.

Read the full article about corporate giving by Timothy J. McClimon at Forbes