Today, almost every larger company attempts to create a “social image”. Money is donated to whatever cause has the best advertising effect, to what sounds good and hopefully eliminates some misery from the world. But if we examine this more closely, the question of the actual value of such a commitment is never quite so clear in most cases.
There are three fundamental questions that should be asked. The first is whether the donation actually achieves what the money is given for. Then there is the basic question as to whether money is indeed a suitable means for passing on goodwill, compassion or love, or whether the internal dynamic of money, generally speaking, tends to prevent the service reaching the people in need. The third question is then naturally whether charity as such is actually the sensible option in the current situation or whether there are better ways to translate the company’s awareness of its responsibility and commitment into action.
