WINTER 2016

42 THE DISTRIBUTOR’S LINK
DISTRIBUTION ONE
4004 Church Road, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054
TEL 856-380-0629 FAX 856-222-0061 EMAIL info@distone.com WEB www.distone.com
DOING GOOD INSIDE AND
OUTSIDE YOUR BUSINESS
What benefit does a private business offer to society?
It pays taxes, meets consumer demand in the marketplace,
and offers jobs to job-seekers. Is that enough?
Some companies stop there, and some carry the torch
much further, with community endeavors that bring public
benefit in various ways. And there’s no shortage of valid
reasons to be one of those companies that makes
corporate philanthropy part of your guiding mission.
There’s some justification right on the surface – the
benefit of a favorable public image. It
can’t be ignored that businesses
engaging in charitable programs are
going to find the spotlight and tout
their activities. Doing so has a doubly
good effect – that of championing a
cause and bringing awareness to
critical issues, and of elevating the
company’s own brand. The two
happen in lockstep, and there’s no
shame in it. As the company grows
stronger, it allows for more
charitability in the future. That’s the
rationale behind embedding a
philanthropic mindset into the very
core of your executive strategy. But even when your
business is committed to the idea, choosing how to direct
these good intentions can often be a stumbling block.
Sometimes you pick a cause, and sometimes a cause
picks you. Businesses are approached incessantly to
contribute to fundraisers. Sometimes, cold hard cash is the
highest good. But while writing a check is effective and
laudable, it must be supplemented with communication.
Both within the company, to the customer base and the
community at large, the messaging around a company’s
good works is vital to share. Why is this cause important to
the founders? Do these actions align with the company’s
values? Are employees being educated and included in the
effort? The answers to those questions form the story
behind the cause, and it establishes authenticity.
We’re selective in which charitable efforts we throw our
weight behind. In October, we proudly sported pink on
Fridays, showcasing our support of Breast Cancer
Awareness Month. That fell in line with other cancer-related
activities we’ve pursued in the past, including a fifty-mile
bike-a-thon raising money for the American Cancer Society.
As the subject matter hits home with the founders, that
theme runs through Distribution One’s charitable activities.
If you don’t yet have an organization you actively
support, look at what others in your industry are doing.
Partnerships are an effective approach to scaling up the
magnitude of a campaign – delivering more bang for your
philanthropic buck, and doing so with a louder voice. Every
year we get behind the Metropolitan Fastener Distributors
Association’s (MFDA) Toys for Tots
campaign. This program run by the
U.S. Marine Corps Reserve puts
toys in the hands of the less
fortunate – those who would
otherwise not experience the joy of
the holiday season. Together with
the MFDA, we’re able to contribute
financially, and through a collection
drive that includes our customers
and employees.
Those kinds of opportunities –
where good is done at both the endpoint
(toys for children in need) and
the source (awareness and
education throughout the community) – may be the most
effective of all. And remember – if you’re participating in
community-serving projects, you’re leaving the job undone
if you’re not actively promoting it. Before, during and after
the event itself, make it known to your audience –
wherever you can find one. Your business is a public
platform. You can and should take advantage of that
public stage, amplifying your message accordingly. It will
drive greater attendance to events, larger contributions to
fundraisers, further spread of awareness and education,
all the while putting on display your own company values.
Corporate social responsibility is not an empty
buzzword – it’s a growing trend that is having a massive
global impact. Businesses are in an ideal position to grab
the megaphone and drive real results. But proceed with
caution: if you promote your works with nothing but
marketing in mind, the public will see right through it. But
if you can successfully mesh honest, society-serving
efforts with transparent storytelling, it can be the gift that
keeps on giving.
BUSINESS FOCUS ARTICLE
DISTRIBUTION ONE