This text is part of the special Philanthropy section
For several years, we have witnessed a spectacular development of the philanthropic economy. More and more companies are participating in this united process. Why has it become essential, and how does it translate today? Some answers with Élisabeth Robinot, associate professor at ESG UQAM and co-founder of the Observatoire de la philanthropie.
“The philanthropic economy is the fact that companies make a voluntary and unconditional transfer of money for public purposes,” Mr.me Robinot. Companies make direct donations to selected causes, or donate through a foundation. They can also go through their own foundation in order to send a clear message to the public. “
Philanthropy primarily designates an attitude of beneficence on the part of well-off people towards other people whom they consider to be materially destitute. Businesses have taken a big part in this action for several reasons. In addition to the potentially disinterested action, the company benefits from better exposure of its brand and significant tax advantages.
The Philanthropy Observatory was set up four years ago under the leadership of Professor Robinot, accompanied by Professor Léo Trespeuch. Its main objective is to study the evolution of the community in terms of philanthropy and giving. The new behaviors of donors are thus scrutinized. In addition to the emergence of increasingly important environmental philanthropy, it is above all social networks that have revolutionized the way citizens make their donations.
“Citizens like you and me have access to information more easily, more quickly. They are better informed about the causes they are likely to choose. Associations must therefore communicate better to avoid any skepticism, continues Élisabeth Robinot. Communicate well on what they do and the actions they support to prevent their mission from being seen only as a strategic and economic choice. Philanthropy is a giveaway without interest, as businesses are more easily seen as making lucrative choices. Corporate philanthropy should not fall into the sponsorship. Social networks bring more transparency and give more power to the donor, a power that he did not have before. It’s now easy to get company reports and see the rating of the company, the impact of its actions. The information available through digital tools limits opportunism. “
Philanthropic or state support?
The environmental philanthropic economy takes a growing place in the donations made. According to a UQAM study, 64% of people believe that climate change is an emergency. The citizens support these actions in favor of the planet by means of various levers and try to take the place of the government.
“The causes we support emerge from economic dysfunction, and that’s where philanthropy comes in,” continues Mr.me Robinot. Philanthropy [fait office de] dressing on the wound, it remedies the dysfunction, but it is not supposed to intervene in the long term. This is even the big current debate, we do not all agree in academia, because if philanthropy takes over too much, the state disengages. “
According to her, philanthropy must remain a whistleblower for institutions. “In the majority of cases, the philanthropic economy takes over and takes care of the problem, then we try to integrate the State into these actions, but it takes a lot of time and resources. For my part, I see the glass half full, so I really believe that philanthropy can be a whistleblower at the state level and we have to see that the state will gradually play its role. The state cannot be everywhere ”, concludes Mme Robinot.