It’s as Yorkshire as the ferret attack on the late great Richard Whiteley… there is a saying around these parts, it goes: “hear all, see all, say nowt. Eat all, drink all, pay nowt, and thy ever dus owt for nowt, all-us do it for thee-sen.” It’s a lighthearted ‘tyke’ play on the three wise monkeys which when roughly translated means “Hear everything, see everything, but say nothing. Eat everything, drink everything, but pay nothing, and if you ever do anything for nothing, always do it for yourself.”
So I ask, where does the pro bono work ethic fit into the moral principles of public relations companies however large or small – locally, regionally and nationally? Moreover, how, if ever, do practioners incorporate their valued time giving into their best business practices? And, finally, if one ounce of that colloquial statement is true, how do Business in the Community (BitC) and their admirable ProHelp (short for Professional Help) initiative sustain it’s existence for the benefit of the countless communities and charities begging for much needed marketing, advertising and public relations skills to aid their visibility in these days of riotous noise levels, constant bombardment and share of mind equals share of business by experienced corporate media savvy pr guru’s?
We are one of and band of business networks (of over 800 professional firms) happily ‘signed up’ to offer strategic support and professional advice for those unable to pay, the likes of community groups and voluntary organizations. Acting as mentor, advisor and soul mate to these fledgling trusts to help them make a positive impact where it is most needed to gain them monetary donations, volunteers, sponsorship, funding and public empathy through integrated marketing communications and top flight share of mind p.r. The mantra ‘give a man a fish he’ll eat for a day, teach a man to fish he’ll eat for life’ is right at home with us.
Through ProHelp over £6million of free support is donated each year through 40 local groups but I say, it’s simply not enough – hence the blog.
There has always been a symbiotic relationship between business and society,
the message of conscious and social obligation has been around for a very long time, Titus Salt, Andrew Carnegie, Joseph Fry, John John JCadbury all were active philanthropic stalwarts analysing working conditions and living circumstances including ‘change remits’ to guide and educate others in medical and social conditions – so much so, governments of the day didn’t need to prompt those hero’s too much by legislation it was purely an act of good neighbourliness and self regulation brought on by their devout beliefs.
Market forces since the seventies have seen a steady rise in csr in part due to the free markets obligations to stakeholders through transparency and accountability and the ‘buy-in culture’ of staff and customers to maintain loyalty through engaging in responsibility and company values.
Today these early ideologies are appropriately cast, as in their day, literally in iron, but organisations however large or small, need to be reminded of their ability to create change and also possess the integrity to govern themselves. To me it should be endemic and embedded in the very core and fibre of the agency to create a ‘culture fabric’ because the dividends are so remarkable.
So how’s it done? Each ProHelp member firm affiliates themselves to a local ProHelp group who meet regularly to respond to requests for complimentary support. Marketing and public relations always figure very high on the agenda of need, but there’s architects, solicitors, engineers, accountants, surveyors all sorts of highly experienced personnel around the board room table.
The chair person identifies suitable opportunities that have been vetted and we’re asked to provide a specific degree of involvement in the project to take them from where they are to where they want to be. A minimum specific amount of time is given each year – but there’s no pressure on what you can be undertaken, opportunities abound.
The benefits are enormous, there’s gaining the hours for CPD for a start and no finer feeling that you’re doing your bit to help alleviate or remove some of the local social ills. As well as gaining a favourable reputation with like-minded businesses. Surprisingly in a recent survey in ‘The Economist’ it placed community and environmental responsibility ahead of quality of marketing!
Since joining ProHelp in February 2001 we’ve delivered numerous specific tailored one day and half-day seminars called ‘Realising Your Potential’ and frequent ‘Headstart Projects’ to help 100’s of groups garner the secrets of good pr – helping them to win those hard fought radio sound bites, t.v. minutage or single column centimeters in newspapers and magazines.
Charities as diverse as Safe@Last for child runaways to aiding the purchase of three Sonorwand 3D Brain Scanners for Royal Hallamshire Hospital’s Neurocare, Credit Unions and a mini Eden Project called ACE (Adwick Community Enterprise) has fell to us to launch, market and create high visibility for.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a caring profile! It gives you a clear advantage over competitors when potential or existing clients have read or heard about the charitable work you’ve been engaged in – yes, it’s a great pr vehicle for you and enhances your reputation. And we’ve been known to accept free pints of Barnsley Bitter by total strangers in recognition for our charity work! Other benefits are networking with other like-minded professional firms who are committed to social responsibility. It sharpens existing skill sets – and helps to learn new ones…
Business in the Community 020 7566 8650
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