“Following the success of Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in London’s Hyde Park in June 2008, it was decided that there could be nothing more fitting than to celebrate Mr Mandela’s birthday each year with a day dedicated to his life’s work and that of his charitable organisations, and to ensure his legacy continues forever.
The Mandela Day campaign message is simple: Mr Mandela gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. All we are asking is that everyone gives 67 minutes of their time, whether it’s supporting your chosen charity or serving your local community.
Mandela Day is a call to action for individuals – for people everywhere – to take responsibility for changing the world into a better place, one small step at a time, just as Mr Mandela did.”
Source: http://www.mandeladay.com
Following the iconic leader’s admission to hospital and the conflicting reports that have followed regarding Madiba’s health, we’d like to take this opportunity to focus on what Mandela Day is all about; celebrating life, and using your life to improve someone else’s. There is no better gift than giving. Whether it is your time, your knowledge or even just a couple coins you have stashed in your car’s ashtray to the beggar at the stoplight. The act of giving, and seeing how you have positively impacted someone’s life, even if the contribution feels small to you, is even more rewarding when it is done with the right motivation. And not just on a personal level.
On that note, let’s give some attention to ‘Social Responsibility’ in Corporates. Most big corporates have a social responsibility obligation. To keep the Karmic scales in balance (and to keep government happy), they give back to specific charities or non-profit organisations they have identified that align with their core business objectives. According to the CSI Handbook, South African companies spent R6.9billion on corporate social investment (CSI) in 2011/2012.?
While it is perfectly acceptable for a company’s business objectives and CSI strategies to align, the corporate investment agenda musn’t be too narrow. If there is a lack of balance between business objectives and community needs, the value and meaning of CSI is minimised. It is always best to invest in a long-term program that provides sustainability, rather than a numbers-based initiative. A little bit of integrity can go a long way. Especially in today’s world where, thanks to the power instilled by social media networks, the customer really is king.
Consumers can become much more aware of companies’ activities and more vocal on social media platforms. They associate strongly with companies’ brands and values, and are more outraged when they feel they have been let down or misrepresented. The best way for a company to launch a social initiative that is perceived as genuine is by using their talents to give back, or focusing on skills development within their specific industry.
Even though there is a need to understand and appreciate the business return on development programs, the key to doing it right is to find the balance between the two, where you are actively and authentically contributing to your community with business benefits as a bonus, you are more likely to see a meaningful, memorable and long-term impact.
So what are you and / or your company doing this Mandela Day? Have you successfully identified your community’s specific needs and giving back in a way that will actually make a difference? Or will you just be dropping extra silver coins into the SPCA’s collection tins at your local supermarket till?
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