struggling nonprofit gets free expertise; and
the corporation furthers its CR efforts while
earning loyalty with its star performers.
“Employees today are seeking more
purposeful work,” explains Cone’s DaSilva.
“Companies that provide substance and
meaning will be rewarded with high employee pride, morale and retention.”
Building relationships with organiza-
“IF WE REALLY WANT TO FIND
SOLUTIONS TO THE SYSTEMIC
ISSUES THAT KEEP COMMUNITIES
UNDERSERVED, THEN WE HAVE
SIDEBAR HEADER-
TO REACH OUT BEYOND THE
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TRADITIONAL LEADERS.”
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—RICARDO MILLETT,
ASSOCIATION OF BLACK FOUNDATION EXECUTIVES
tions that represent Black, Latino and other
underrepresented people can also help
corporations better understand and address
the needs of the communities where they do
What Employees Want From Employers
79%
Matching Grants
76%
Paid Time Off to Volunteer
74%
Company-Sponsored Volunteer Days
71%
Skills-Based Volunteer Opportunities
70%
Paid Sabbaticals
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Source: 2008 Cone Cause Evolution Study
SUBHEAD-GILL SANS 10PT
business. “MBuasininBeasrsciospsyt-iG ll idlloSnaensin10cpot
mmuni-ties,” says Ricardo Millett, a consultant and
board member of the Association of Black
Foundation Executives in New York City. “If
companies want to grow their markets, they
MONSANTO: INVESTING
IN GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY
Food, water and energy are the world’s most
valuable resources, and producing more food
while conserving water and energy is the key
to sustainability. It’s also the corporate mission
at Monsanto, a provider of agricultural products that improve farm productivity and food
quality worldwide. “The fundamental goal for
Monsanto is to help farmers produce more
and conserve resources like water and energy
while improving their families’ lives,” says Jerry
Steiner, Monsanto executive vice president of
commercial acceptance. “For agriculture to be
sustainable and serve the needs of our growing world population, it will require the efforts
of a diverse group of organizations with many
points of view working together.”
Hunger remains an international challenge.
An estimated 1 in 8 people worldwide are
starving, reports the United Nations. By 2050,
food production must double to sustain the
projected 9. 3 billion people globally. That’s one
reason why Monsanto invests $3 million each
day in research and development. Monsanto is
also a founding member of Alliance for Abundant Food and Energy, a nonprofit dedicated
to reducing dependence on fossil fuels and
improving healthy eating worldwide through
greater agricultural productivity. The company
was recognized earlier this year by the Wildlife Habitat Council for its efforts to preserve
biodiversity at the Big Sand Mound Nature Preserve in Muscatine, Iowa.
Plus, the company’s philanthropic arm,
Monsanto Fund, has contributed more than
$24.5 million since 2006 to programs that improve science education, nutrition, the environment and communities. The fund has provided
giving for projects such as $50,000 in scholarships for biotechnology study at an Indonesian
university, $150,000 to support science fairs in
the Midwest and $7.5 million for research on a
disease-resistant cassava plant in Africa.
Steiner adds: “We are confident that we
will realize more sustainable and abundant
food production and reduce hunger around
the world. We hope that our efforts, as well
as those of others, will lead to greater sustainability for society.” —D’Anne Hotchkiss
