Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007 - (Page 51)

- SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION - WATCH THIS SPACE FOR ARTICLES ON A WIDE ARRAY OF TOPICS AND ISSUES FROM NCLR. resources, diversity, marketing, sales and branding, and simply a higher bottom line because companies leverage these partnerships both at a national and local level toward increased public awareness of what the company values. Some companies even use their philanthropy to boost employee morale,” Miller adds. As such relationships develop and become increasingly symbiotic, CSR becomes less of a trend and more of a business essential. CSRwire points out that today’s investors, consumers and employees are sophisticated, and they reward companies that make efforts to improve CSR performance. Miller adds that a corporation’s CSR initiatives strengthen its core characteristics that are measured for success—what makes it an overall good company to work for, to buy from or to invest in. Of course, the recipients of the corporate goodwill also proﬁt. In the case of NCLR, their direct work as well as that of their nearly 300 Afﬁliate organizations often rely on CSR. NCLR’s mission is to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. To accomplish that goal, the organization conducts applied research, policy analysis and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in the ﬁve key areas of assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Afﬁliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families. “With corporate support, we are able to cultivate these programs,” Miller says. For example, NCLR partnered with Comcast to provide support to eight Afﬁliates with ongoing programs in speciﬁc issue areas through the NCLR/Comcast Capacity-Building Grant Program. The Association House Another corporate partner, Ford Motor Company, contributes through the Afﬁliate of the Year Awards program, which recognizes an Afﬁliate for outstanding work in serving its community and supporting NCLR’s policy and programmatic initiatives. This year’s winner, CentroNía in Washington, DC, also was able to carry out a robust literacy program in addition “The fact is that the implementation of well-conceived corporate responsibility turns out to be good business. It makes for good friends and good customers. There is nothing inconsistent about being socially responsible on the one hand and doing what is right for the shareholders on the other.” —David Rockefeller of Chicago, one Afﬂiliate who received a Capacity-Building Grant, was able to continue its highly successful Lee y Serás family literacy program. to the other educational, professional development and family support services they provide. “The key to successful CSR,” Miller says, “is creating partnerships that are mutually beneﬁcial. Companies that are truly dedicated to CSR usually select the issues they are interested in supporting and then seek out like-minded organizations. If the desired issues are also in our mission, then it’s a perfect match—a win-win for everyone,” Miller says. “Most of the partners we work with align with NCLR’s work on such issues as education, health, diversity and capacity-building. Ultimately, they help us give our Afﬁliates the tools and resources they need to work more effectively and strengthen their communities.” The National Council of La Raza (NCLR)—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. For more information or to become an NCLR member, visit us at www.nclr.org. http://www.nclr.org http://www.nclr.org

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007

Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007 Contents BIZBUZZ: Business Briefs Trendsetters BIZTECH: Personally Digital BizLife - Travel: The Mobile Meeting Motoring: Is What You Drive, Who You Are? Q&A - Fact Tank for the Hispanic Population Hispanic Commerce Cover Story: Tiles with Style Success & Motivation: Grammy Whammy Finance: Talking Code Event: Masterminds NCLR Report - Improving your Triple Bottom Line Politics & Government: Keep on Truckin' Managing: Avoiding an Identity Crisis Franchising: Beyond the Brand Finance & Investing - Talking Money Movers & Shakers Regional Report - Louisiana, Louisiana Chamber Focus - On the Island of Enchantment

Hispanic Enterprise - October/November 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.