Best Youth Services (BYS) is a not-for-profit organization focused on youth services. BYS provides a multitude of activities to improve the quality of life of youth in the community while also providing opportunities to improve their future. This is the mission statement of this organization and they are now preparing to celebrate their 25th anniversary. Working together with BYS, they are relying on this cooperative effort to acquire donors to contribute funds to the upcoming 25th anniversary celebration. A luncheon honoring all of the children and staff who have ever been a part of the organization in the past 25 years is being held soon. As there is an anticipated guest list pf at least 600 people, a significant amount of money needs to be raised. At the event, donors will be listed in the event booklet. The overall goals of BYS include an enhancement of company visibility and reputation, expansion of BYS services and a revitalization of the brand, and also an increase in the funding base. All of these goals can be achieved by means of the support of corporate sponsors. The sponsors must be chosen and analyzed carefully so that it can be assured that they align with the mission, values, and ethical professional standards of Best Youth Services. Doing so will allow the not-for-profit organization to achieve its goals and ensure that their reputation is enhanced in the proper fashion. Several donors have made offers, but must be carefully analyzed before they are chosen as a collaborator.
BYS has a social responsibility to ensure a sense of trust in its organization. Trust is a key issue incorporate social responsibility and by building and managing strong relationships, this can be accomplished (Guth & Marsh, 2012). There are numerous potential corporate sponsors with which BYS could partner with to achieve its goals, and choosing a course of donation that aligns with this ideal is crucial. One potential donor that would be worth examining is a local private university. Because one of the main goals of BYS is improving the future for youth in the community, turning to a local private university can lead to multiple opportunities that go beyond even a donor source. Because they are not publically funded by tax dollars, private institutions can ethically donate money to worthy causes without infringing upon tax payers as would universities who are partially funded by the state. Students who attend universities or college have a better quality of life than do their young adult counterparts with no college education. College graduates are more likely to earn more, have higher job satisfaction, and even lead healthier adult lives. Individuals who attend institutions of higher education are less likely to be overweight and smoke and are more apt to volunteer. Furthermore, they have a statistically significant increase in the likelihood that they will raise children who are better prepared for formal education (“Reports tout benefits,” 2011). The local university’s mission statement is to assist individuals in achieving their goals by helping to build their future through knowledge, support, and opportunity. The local university also offers various community activities and is well-respected and has a good reputation for producing quality graduates. These goals and values perfectly align with the mission of BYS in that they are supportive and employ efforts to offer services to people in the community that improve their lives. Society expects these types of organizations to be socially responsible and contribute to the good of the community by addressing important social needs through two-way communication (Guth & Marsh, 2012). Organizations such as this private university engage in cause marketing and present themselves as a worthy cause, much like BYS.
Another potential source for donor support is The Video Palace, which is a local hangout for youths and provides low-cost entertainment. The business is family-owned and operated and allows children and adolescents to stay and enjoy their services or even do homework and is well known for its participation in community events and donations of its products and services to local schools. The community has long supported this business and the family has done the same for the community in return. In accepting donations from this organization, BYS could actually contribute back to the community in the process. By supporting a local business as an advertised sponsor at the luncheon it will show that BYS is well integrated and supported by local businesses while also highlighting the good deed of this local family-owned business. As the Video Palace has a good rapport with the youth population of the community, this relationship can be beneficial on multiple levels, as well. While this business is fundamentally a capitalist operation, they operate in a fashion that is both ethical and socially responsible.
Another business that has offered a donation for the luncheon is a local tobacco distributor. While this organization has a substantial amount of funds to offer and would be financially beneficial to BYS, there is some question as to whether or not it would align with the mission statement. This company distributes a product that is considered to be the greatest threat to public health throughout the country (Sargent, 2014). While there has been a decline in recent years of teen smoking, other forms of tobacco use are still on the rise for this demographic. The distributor operates within the confines of the law and has not engaged in any illegal activities, however, they do advertise e-cigarettes via mainstream media with means that are considered appealing to teenagers such as celebrity endorsements. Marketing campaigns by these companies are associated with increased curiosity to try tobacco products among teens as this age group is particularly susceptible to marketing (Sargent, 2014). BYS aims to improve quality of life. A company who sells products known to diminish health cannot work in tandem with an organization whose aim is on the opposite end of the spectrum. It would be a conflict of interest and have the potential to do an exceptional amount of harm to the reputation of BYS as an organization that benefits youths. One aspect of corporate responsibility is health promotion (Guth & Marsh, 2012). Allowing a local tobacco distributor to sponsor the 25th anniversary luncheon would diminish public trust and portray BYS a socially irresponsible organization.
One last potential donor to consider is the Bond Family. This family owns a large liquor store chain across the state. They are, however, well known for their philanthropic contributions to a number of causes. The family has offered money in support of many worthy causes on a national scale and has donated to the local community, as well. Unfortunately, there are some reservations to be had with this potential donor, even in light of their charitable nature. The business practices of their company have recently come into question as they have been accused of violating labor laws relating to employment of youths within their retail stores. Also, in a recent study, it was found that there are many publications with high concentrations of teenage readers that are filled with alcohol advertisements (Hill, Thomsen, Page, & Parrott, 2005). Furthermore, it has been determined that children who are exposed to alcohol advertising can lead to drinking behavior in children. Statistically, alcohol companies are not effective in their efforts to warn against health and safety consequences associated with alcohol use, nor are they effective in their efforts to warn about the minimum drinking age (Hill, Thomsen, Page, & Parrott, 2005). Because the Bond Family supports the sale of these products, they are potentially engaged in enticing youths to engage in dangerous and illegal activities, consciously or otherwise. Not only would advertising these donors as supporters of BYS be a blatant display of hypocrisy, it may also inadvertently advertise for a product that is not appropriate for the target demographic of BYS. This would likely diminish the outreach capabilities of BYS, along with potentially damaging the company’s reputation.
Corporate social responsibility endeavors to achieve high standards in seven key areas. These areas include economic development, health promotion, business standards, human disaster relief, human rights, labor and security, and environmental responsibility (Guth & Marsh, 2012). BYS operates with consideration to all of these elements and does not engage in any activities which could diminish its reputation or social responsibility in any of these key facets. The donors, a local university, the Video Palace, local tobacco distributes, and the Bond family, all have the potential to aid BYS financially. With a donation from any of these sources, BYS could promote its mission of providing youth activities and enhancing the quality of life and future for children in their programs. However, BYS would likely fail in their efforts if they were to partner with either the Bond family or local tobacco distributors. These organizations do not share the values of BYS and actively engage in businesses which are harmful to youths and the community. It would be a violation of ethical standards to accept donations from either of these organizations and risk irreversible harm to the reputation of BYS. Corporations who have a firm grasp of providing services that serve community and public interest are those that are meeting their ethical obligations. The question as to how well an organization has either served or harmed public interest must be considered before choosing a donor. The remaining two options, the Video Palace and a local private university have both served the community in their own ways, and have done so in a socially responsible and ethical manner. Utilizing donated funds from these organizations and listing them as donors in the luncheon booklet go a long way in enhancing the ethical behavior of BYS. It is essential for public relations practitioners to ensure that a corporation leads by example. Working together an environment can be created that focuses on ethical behaviors in business relationships with other organizations. Recommending that BYS partner with both a local university with exceptional community involvement and a local, family owned business with strong ties to youths would be the best course of action.
- Guth, D., & Marsh, C. (2012). Public relations: A values-driven approach (5th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon. Retrieved from https://kaplan.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781323021613
- Hill, S. C., Thomsen, S. R., Page, R. M., & Parrott, N. (2005). Alcohol advertisements in youth-oriented magazines: Persuasive themes and responsibility messages. American Journal of Health Education, 36(5), 258-265. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/212633915?accountid=8289
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- Sargent, J. D. (2014). Teen tobacco use: research and regulatory gaps. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 47(2), S90-S92. doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2014.04.017
- Starck, K., & Kruckeberg, D. (2003). Ethical obligations of public relations in an era of globalisation. Journal of Communication Management, 8(1), 29-40. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/232911273?accountid=8289
