It is a women’s month and a lot of organisations are doing a lot to seem like a helping organisation especially about breast cancer. Organisations like Avon which has events that are held to empower women to look good and feel better and even have walkathons to generate massive awareness of breast cancer. There are even tertiary organisations like SPRA (Student Public Relations Association) based at UJ ( University of Johannesburg)which are making a difference by volunteering in communities.
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| Avon makes a difference at the walkathon event to raise funds: Over 30 00 people participate to help women diagnosed with breast cancer (sauce: www.avon.co.za) |
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| Giving back with a smile: Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu sees giving back in the society as a collective effort. (www.thegivingorganisation.org) |
The only question might be: Are organisations giving back to be seen as caring? Is it altruism in the making or Corporate Social Investment? The industry of Public Relations and Communications requires an organisation to keep abreast, giving is optional but wouldn’t you do so to get the people's loyalty or your target audiences’ positive perception. Do organisations do this because they want to or are they forced to?
Princess Charlene of Monaco will be co-patron with Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu at The Giving Organisation to give back, this is a collaborative South African good cause organisation.
One of the biggest and growing ways in giving back to the society was/ is Mandela day. A lot of companies, brands, organisations or even celebrities where giving their 67 minutes. The University of Johannesburg also contributed to Mandela day, the question is still pending.
Back to August being a women’s month, an opportunity is out there for organisations to give a helping hand besides expecting anything in return or publicity. Events like ‘Take a girl child to work day’ or ‘Women empowerment’ within undeveloped or developing areas are the key to be seen as caring read more. As a young woman I feel privileged that my “being” is being celebrated but would not want it to be taken for granted for a mere beneficiary scheme.
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| Her highness provides a helping hand: Princess Charlene and her husband. (www.thegivingorganisation.org) |
Organisations are trying but... Is it because they are forced to? Just to have a good image in the public sphere.
I think that it depend with what the organisation is dealing in terms of things such as cancer, I believe that they are doing it out of they own good.
ReplyDeleteI must say some are giving out of the goodness of their hearts, but it seems like others have an intention in order to gain something back.
ReplyDeletei agree with you companies do projects that will benefit them in return and they do it to create publicity like community project should be about helping th communities no because you want them to support you because you are supporting them
ReplyDeleteI agree, because these days it seems like companies have lost the meaning of CSI.
DeleteWe were told and we now know that organisations are only giving back to seem like they are caring but the under-lying issue is that they only want to increase their sales and image.
ReplyDeleteDefinately, there is no such thing as pure altruism.
DeleteIts only a few organanisations that that give out of their caring hearts, otherwise most of the give so that they can accure publicity and generate money.
ReplyDeleteYes, and it seems to be working because the public gets convinced and the company gets to have their loyalty.
Deletei think some organisations are doing it because they have to, properbly for the sake of their company's history background and for maybe proposals.
ReplyDeleteThat could be one of the eligible reasons.
DeleteCSI right...but i think i must say that not every company understand CSI goals because at some point we find ourselves volunteering as organisations while we demand some signatures or certificates to certify that we have done one,two and three for object A or B.it is not the way of saying that "give me and i will also give you?"are we still calling it CSI programmes?
ReplyDeleteThe problem is that companies have actually forgotten the value of CSI, it's like they are just giving, in order to be seen or get something back.
Deletethat is good community relations and great publicity
ReplyDeleteI think Organisations are doing their bid, to create a good image and perception fot themselves. It's not a bad thing at all, I mean we all deserve to be acknowledged for the good deeds we do, its just natural to do something and get credit for it, otherwise, why do it at all.
ReplyDeleteWell-said, but you don't always have to get credit, do you?
Deletewell i totally think that organisations give back because they know that they will get something back either free publicity, support from the community or anything else possible. But i think we must also be grateful that they are "giving back" which that makes a huge difference in peoples lives
ReplyDeleteYes, we must be grateful that they are giving back and making a difference although I think they gain a lot more.
DeleteYeah..if you do good you will look good and giving back to the community is something that build the your image and gives people good perception about you.
ReplyDeleteDefinately and that is what counts the most.
ReplyDelete