Blog 2 - Wal-Mart - Red Cross Partnership - Umika Bahl

Wal-Mart Canada is a proud partner of the Canadian Red Cross Society. Specializing in disaster preparedness and relief our efforts span across Canada. Canadian Red Cross Society is always there to provide aid when a disaster occurs and this is why we do our part to help provide support to strengthen their efforts. Through our partnership we have raised more than $40 million in disaster relief funding to support Canadian Red Cross Society’s efforts to read more click here.

Our partnership with Canadian Red Cross is one of the largest in Red Cross history and our fund raising efforts have helped towards floods, house fires and evacuations. Our annual in store efforts get customers engaged by matching donations given up to $2,000. The donations are used to help local families and communities with necessities like clothing, emergency supplies and hot meals.

"Disaster happens when we least expect. From a flood to a house fire, being prepared and having the support needed during crisis is crucial. Since 2003, Walmart Canada has proudly supported Red Cross operations in communities across Canada, making them stronger and more resilient in their response to disaster. Since the partnership began, we have donated and raised more than $40 million in disaster relief funding to support their efforts." Walmart Canada

Wal-Mart is fortunate to have a partnership in a humanitarian organization such as Canadian Red Cross Society. Through our partnership our team has had the opportunity to give back to the hardworking Canadian individuals who have had to deal with unforeseen disasters. The program to fundraise for disaster relief awareness has helped our team showcase the corporate social responsibility efforts Wal-Mart as a corporation has carried out to make a difference in the lives of those effects by disasters.

As seen above partnerships between cooperation’s and charities can be mutually beneficial. In the case of Wal-Mart and the Canadian Red Cross Society the partnership aids Wal-Mart by providing an outlet for CSR and for the Canadian Red Cross Society the benefits include funding and awareness for the aid given within Canada for disaster relief. The Canadian Red Cross Society can leverage from the publicity given to the organization by the media and Wal-Mart can use the positive media to combat its perceived image of endorsing poor factory conditions or child labor use to cut costs.   

Blog 2 - Inn from the Cold - Carolyn Gillette

Inn from the Cold is a Calgary born charity that provides shelter and food to those that are struggling with homelessness. They have several different corporate partners, one of which is Sunterra. Sunterra provides support to Inn from the Cold through their ROOTS program.

Why do they think the partnership is a mutually beneficial relationship? 

One of the reasons that this partnership is so mutually beneficial is that Sunterra is a family business started in Alberta. On their website, they explain that the reason they created the ROOTS program is because “The stronger our roots, the higher we grow and the further we can reach.” Sunterra values family and community and it is because of this that they partner with organizations that are in Calgary and have similar values. Inn from the Cold provides support to those struggling with homelessness “provide[ing] the instrumental needs for survival including…nutritious food.” This is where their partnership with Sunterra fits.

What are they trying to accomplish with it?

Sunterra can help provide the funding to provide food for Inn from the Cold and in response, Sunterra receives corporate social responsibility that match with their main corporate values. Corporate responsibility can be really important to increase reputation management and it can be difficult to find charities that match well with your organization.

Is it really a partnership or is one side benefiting more that the other?

I personally believe that the partnership is mutual for both Sunterra and Inn from the Cold. Sunterra provides the material costs for Inn from the Cold and Inn from the Cold provides a relevant CSR partnership for Sunterra. From a donation standpoint, Inn from the Cold is the only beneficiary. Sunterra however, receives a partner that matches with their corporate values to include in their corporate responsibility program. This can increase reputation with their public, which in turn would create more business for the organization. Sunterra also benefits from an ethical standpoint as well. It can be easy to provide support to a charity but by partnering with an organization, which matches with their corporate values, they can rest easy knowing they are partnering ethically.

Charity partnering can be beneficial to both corporations and their charities but it can be difficult to put into practice. In my opinion, Inn from the Cold and Sunterra are positive examples of an ethical and mutually beneficial partnership.

Blog 2 - Bulgari and Save the Children - Ryann Churla

At Bulgari, we have a vision to provide children around the globe with the resources they need to achieve their ambitions and dreams even in the face of poverty. In 2009, we partnered with the global non-profit organization, Save the Children, to alleviate the many problems children face to poverty as well as provide them with the necessities to help the cycle of urban poverty throughout the world.

Bulgari proudly supports the work of Save the Children through a portion of the profits made from our special Save the Children jewellery line. Throughout the years, we have launched both a ring and pendant which we sell on our website, in department stores as well as in Bulgari stores worldwide. Each piece is sold for $480 (USD) and we donate $100 from every sale to help fund Save the Children’s global initiatives.

This campaign has resulted in a long-term as well as mutually beneficial relationship between ourselves and Save the Children. Through this partnership, we have the opportunity to not only create and sell jewellery for the sake of a good cause, but we are given the privilege to specifically chose what areas of intervention we can assist with. Bulgari is passionate about education as we believe that no long-term change can be made without the opportunity to learn. We have also expanded our charitable focus to include health initiatives and donated $1 million (EUR) to help prevent over 50,000 newborn fatalities. Save the Children has been a great choice for our organization as they have both enormous influence and scope within their work; as one of the biggest international charitable organizations, Save the Children has allowed us to reach children in 25 countries and has helped over 700,000 youth through its various programs.

This partnership is also beneficial to Save the Children as through our involvement we have raised over $35 million (USD) for the organization and their programs to aid early childcare and development, education against poverty as well as emergency response. We have also engaged with various celebrities for our Save the Children campaign including Ben Stiller, Zhang Ziyi, Fabrizio Ferri, Eric Bana and Adrien Brody. These celebrity campaigns and initiatives have allowed us to further grow global recognition and interest in Save the Children as well as drive donations and sales of our for-charity ring and pendant. The profits donated to Save the Children from the sale of our jewellery is also incredibly beneficial to not only the organization, but the children they are aiming to help. Through one sale we can provide a meal every day for four months for one child or six mosquito nets.

Due to these reasons, we can say with confidence that the partnership between Bulgari and Save the Children is mutually beneficial with each organization receiving equal benefits. Although Bulgari does receive more money per sale of jewellery than what is donated, there are manufacturing costs to be considered and as an organization we are committed and dedicated to proving Save the Children with as many opportunities for growth as possible.

Blog 2 - Doctors Without Borders (MSF) - Vannessa Sutter-Smith

Medecins Sans Frontiers/ Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has several corporate partnerships with large, well-known organizations. One of MSF’s considerable partnerships to note is with Google.org.

The following referenced photograph denotes the corporate sponsorship relationship between the MSF and Google.org. Click on the image to visit the partnership page.

The partnership between Google and MSF is mutually beneficial because the Google organization is considered to be a dedicated supporter for helping others around the world. Google is always striving to connect people around the world, to provide them with answers and to help others. A strategic partnership with the MSF organization allows Google to continue doing just that.

The MSF organization is also dedicated to connecting people by providing doctors in countries where they may have not been previously accessible and by providing emergency medical assistance. As stated on the MSF’s website they are always aiming to provide significant help to those in need, “We are Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). We help people worldwide where the need is greatest, delivering emergency medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from health care.”

Google also wants to assist the MSF to be able to evolve productively through the use of technology, as stated on Google.org, “Since 2005, Google.org has worked to extend the reach of non-profit innovators and connect them with a unique blend of support that includes funding, tools, and volunteers from around Google. Though each non-profit’s project poses a fresh challenge, we ask the same question every time: “How can we bring the best of Google to power their work and accelerate their progress?” Moreover, because the work conducted by this amazing organization is significantly philanthropic and monumentally beneficial to all involved – it is a gratifying gesture to be able to place the MSF logo in association with the Google organization.

The Google organization strives to bring further awareness to the MSF’s causes by being a corporate sponsor. As the Google organization has a significant and recognizable reputation – this also supports the MSF by providing Google searchability which connects to the organization’s website, causes, general updates and a plethora of additional significant information. In addition, Google provides “free products and services designed to serve the unique needs of non-profits and amplify their impact.”  Supporting organizations such as the MSF also contributes to Google’s dedication to support marginalized and vulnerable populations across the world. As stated on Google.org’s website. “We look for non-profit innovators who understand the needs of marginalized and vulnerable populations in their own communities– and around the world. These innovators create new and unexpected solutions to address inequities.”

From a philanthropic and humanitarian perspective - both the Google organization and MSF are mutually benefiting from this corporate sponsorship opportunity. Google is able to contribute to a cause they strongly believe in -  helping others, and the MSF is provided with further advanced opportunities; including access to innovate technology to aid the organization in continuing to pursue the grand mission of the MSF – helping others.