What role for corporate foundations?

August 13, 2007

A recent report has found that as corporate responsibility is increasingly embedded within business strategy, the role of the traditional corporate foundation is changing. The report – The changing nature of corporate responsibility – what role for corporate foundations – was launched on July 18. The research found that the changes in the role of foundations can take three forms – for some foundations their role as charitable grant-makers is clear and corporate responsibility has little impact; for another group the original reason for creating the foundation no longer exists and corporate responsibility has provided the business with an opportunity to review its role and to integrate it further into the overall business strategy; and for a third group, corporate responsibility has created the chance to form a foundation for a specific purpose.

According to the Charities Aid Foundation the findings prove that corporate foundations are diverse and the report suggests that a new framework is developed to give guidance as to the formation of a foundation and the different roles these organisations can play.

This report follows on from a first report – Revealing the Foundations – which was published in October 2006.

Contact CAF 01732 520 000 www.cafonline.org

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