Procter & Gamble Hopes Charity Brings More Business
Procter & Gamble is refocusing its global corporate charity efforts by engaging Western consumers interested in philanthropy and "laying the groundwork for increasing sales in developing countries," the Cincinnati Enquirer reports.
A survey by IBM found that two thirds of 250 business leaders use such corporate philanthropy to grow their companies and to keep talented employees. One P&G official said: "It builds morale in employees We've measured it." P&G spends more than $100 million a year on its charity program called "Live, Learn and Thrive" that benefits children globally, the Enquirer reports.
Some of the money goes to underwriting the cost of vaccinations against newborn tetanus by donating one vaccination for every package of Pampers diapers purchased in the United States and Western Europe. P&G company officials say the program is part of its strategy to position Pampers as a brand that cares about mothers and their children and "has driven sales by linking the purchase of diapers to a higher cause." In the developing world, P&G hopes to foster "new generations of consumers and build loyalty to its brands in nations where diapers, detergent and razors are not the common household items they are in the US" (Holthaus, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4/24).
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