According to Suzanne DiBianca, the Chief Philanthropy Officer at Salesforce and keynote speaker at New Orleans Entrepreneur Week, it’s because, simply put, companies need money. Fortunately, DiBianca pioneered a philanthropic model that will hopefully usher in a new era of corporate giving. This model focuses on what companies really have to offer. Dubbed the 1-1-1 model, companies are encouraged to donate one percent of their product, equity, or employee time to causes that align with their values. DiBianca spearheaded this movement at Salesforce and it has transformed into it’s own company. Pledge 1% was started by Salesforce in partnership with Efco, Atlassian, Rally for Impact, Tides, and the Community Foundation, and has become one of the most innovative and fastest growing philanthropic organizations in the world. As DiBianca puts it, charitable giving is about more than reaching your target audience. It’s not about making waves on social media or attracting that sought-after investor. Giving back is something that benefits the entire community, helping to build an ecosystem that can support everyone from any background. And being genuine is the only way to do that. The most important takeaway from DiBianca’s speech was that the future of business is philanthropic. Customers want it, employees want it, and charitable organizations obviously want it. Get on board with the giving back movement or your business will be left behind.
