In a world where we must do more than ever to make the world a better place, our driving force at Lincoln Strategy Group is to commit our company’s resources organization to being incredibly involved in the community. We believe that businesses must gracefully step up to the plate to pitch in, roll up their sleeves, and make a tangible impact supporting meaningful causes. The idea of corporate social responsibility (CSR) certainly isn’t new, but a growing number of for-profit organizations are taking altruism more seriously these days.
At Lincoln Strategy Group, our executive team and staff members contribute time, talent, and resources to various noteworthy endeavors. Our goal is to make a sizable difference in our community and the world. Not only is this objective part of our daily lives, but it’s also a critical element of our business strategy.
In a blog several months ago, we outlined the myriad ways that corporate social responsibility helps a business—from bolstering employee retention and morale to improving a company’s overall reputation. But the true benefit of CSR isn’t simply about boosting the bottom line. Rather, CSR is about integrity.
Doing well as a business goes hand in hand with doing good in the community because, as Winston Churchill once said, “Responsibility is the price of greatness.” Additionally, William Clay Ford Jr., the Executive Chairman of Ford Motor Company and the great-grandson of the company’s founder Henry Ford, has said, “Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals – they are both essential ingredients for long-term success.”
Surely, if you want to know why corporate social responsibility matters, you needn’t look any further than either of those inspiring quotations. What’s more, having a philanthropy focus “provides a framework for businesses to donate money or time to charities and organizations that better people’s lives and care for the community,” says The Kauffman Foundation, the Missouri-based nonprofit that is among the largest private foundations in the United States. With a vision that’s dedicated to fostering “a society of economically independent individuals who are engaged citizens in their communities,” the Kauffman Foundation spells out exactly why companies have a moral obligation to give back.
Indeed, companies must do more than the minimum when it comes to caring for and serving our communities. And “more than the minimum” is a tenet on which Lincoln Strategy Group proudly stands.