Traditional corporate philanthropy - cutting cheques and arms length giving - has been around for many years.  Over the past decade, companies started to consider their social impact in the community and traditional philanthropy changed. This happened in response to many factors:  globalization; competition for good workers; the voice and strength of the consumer; the power of the Internet; concern for the environment.  In response to these factors, companies began to look at their impact on society, rather than just their economic impact.   They started to become more strategic with their giving programs and more engaged in their communities.  They became corporate citizens. 

There are various definitions for corporate citizenship and community investment.  We share ours on our definitions page.  Most people in the field agree that being a good corporate citizen can have a positive impact on a company.  It helps with:

• reputation management;
• risk management;
• employee recruitment, retention and motivation;
• learning and innovation; and,
• licence to operate issues.

To learn more about why corporate citizenship is important, browse through our list of books and articles and visit our links page. We've put together Canadian, American and international resources where you can find more information on corporate citizenship and community investment.  Or look at our Corporate Citizenship FAQ.