Almost 60 % of Belgian companies try to help the socially underprivileged

A phone survey, which was carried out among 473 Belgian companies by research firm IPSOS at the end of 2008, shows that 6 out of ten companies surveyed are actively concerned with social solidarity and help the socially underprivileged.

An independently organized Trends CEO poll submitted a number of similar questions to 1,000 Belgian CEOs, of which 634 filled out the questionnaire. Their answers confirm the results of the IPSOS survey to a large extent.

Take a look at the testimonials of

• Rik De Nolf, CEO Roularta Media Group;
• Pieter Timmermans, Director-General VBO (Belgian Employers Federation);
• Luc Van Liedekerke, Jury President Solidaritest
• Roland de Turck, Vice-President of research firm IPSOS
  

concerning the outcome of both surveys and the importance of social solidarity for companies.

Company policy

Several companies have committed their engagement to paper in a company policy.

• 24 % have a written policy as regards the employment and training of the socially underprivileged.
• 15 % (17.5 % in the Trends CEO poll) have a written policy as regards the granting of financial support to humanitarian projects in Belgium or abroad.

Financial support

Among the companies surveyed, 35 % (34.5 % in the Trends CEO poll) granted financial support to humanitarian projects.

Providing help to the socially underprivileged does not necessarily have major financial implications for companies:

• 17 % (18.6 % in the Trends CEO poll) encouraged their staff to help the socially underprivileged, for example by providing information about projects or by encouraging volunteer work.
• In 19 % of the companies, the employees themselves collect money for projects aimed at the socially underprivileged.
• 11 % encourage their employees to give blood.

Corporate image

In the vast majority of the cases, the decision to commit to helping the socially underprivileged is made by the CEO or the Board of Directors. The motive is largely to strengthen the company’s image: among the company’s workforce (66 %) as well as among customers (54 %) and the general public (44 %).