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Caring Companies

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Caring Company Network
Advancing the practice and impact of business social investment in Canada since 1988

HOW WE CAN FURTHER THE IMPACT OF YOUR BUSINESS

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Enroll in our Certification program to earn a nonprofit third-party validation of your community contributions and tell the story of your social impact to your stakeholders
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Join a community of social impact leaders across  industries and causes to share resources, network with peers, and develop forward thinking strategies
Caring Companies Demonstrate Leadership in Social Impact and Community Engagement

What is the Imagine Canada Certification

Founded in 1988, the Caring Company Certification awards an Imagine Canada Trustmark to companies that give back at least 1% of pre-tax profits to the communities where their employees live and work. 

 

  • Community investment is recognized across four categories: Cash donations, paid volunteerism, in-kind contributions, and management costs. 
  • Certification gives companies an advantage in their ESG reporting and communications by providing a longstanding third party verification.
Canadian employees prefer working for Caring Companies. In a 2019 study, 92% of respondents who worked for Caring Companies reported their employer was committed to community service compared to only 58% of those that were not. 

 

  • Respondents who reported working at Caring Companies were much more likely to have considered a company’s charitable reputation before accepting their current job. 
  • 54% of people who worked at Caring Companies reported that their current employer’s reputation for charitable work in the community influenced them “a lot” before accepting their current job, compared to only 13% of other respondents.
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New research
New study on diversity and equity

From the Mind to the Heart, a two-part research series conducted by AgentsC Inc. and Imagine Canada, with generous support from RBC Foundation, is the first in Canada to explore the influence of justice, access, inclusion, diversity, equity (JAIDE) within the corporate community investment profession, and the beliefs, culture, and practices that inhibit or enable equity within corporate nonprofit partnerships. Findings are drawn from a survey of Canada’s largest companies, interviews with diverse professionals, and discussions with young leaders.

RELATED RESOURCE
Partnering for Impact: From Crisis to Opportunity

This report examines nine case studies of effective corporate-nonprofit partnerships during COVID-19.

RELATED RESOURCE
Corporate Community Investment in Canada: 2020 Report 

“Wake Up Call: Navigating New Pathways for Corporate Community Investment in Canada” reveals the recent, cataclysmic shifts within Canada’s social good sector, encouraging companies to rethink how they invest in and engage with their communities.

RELATED RESOURCE
Corporate Community Investment in Canada: 2019 report

Profit, Purpose and Talent: Trends and Motivations in Corporate Giving and Volunteering shows that employees value the community contributions of their employers, and that high levels of community engagement lead to long-term business advantages for corporations.

Best Practice Guide for Caring Companies
Featured Resource

Best Practice Guide for Caring Companies

Insights, tips and guidelines, this guide provides all the information you need to make the most of your designation.

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Challenges and Innovation in Corporate Community Investment

In a recent presentation briefing the Caring Companies on the current state of community investment, we explored the experience of the charitable and nonprofit sector during the peak of the global pandemic and what impact this has on corporate community investment practices in Canada. With current social and economic trends, strategies will need to be adaptive and innovative to meet the needs of communities. 

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Imagine Canada exists to work alongside other charitable sector organizations - and often in partnership with the private sector, governments and individuals in the community - to ensure that charities continue to play a pivotal role in building, enriching and defining our nation.

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