Blackbaud Launches New Corporate Citizenship Initiatives
November 21, 2010
Redefines philanthropic focus through sharing expertise as a technology provider, encouraging service to others, and preserving the environment
CHARLESTON, SC – November 16, 2010 – Blackbaud, Inc (Nasdaq: BLKB), the leading global provider of nonprofit software and services, has furthered its dedication to the local and nonprofit communities with its new focus on corporate citizenship. Blackbaud will continue to deliver on its corporate value service to others makes the world a better place” with a team dedicated to the growth of its corporate citizenship commitment.
“Corporate citizenship is about infusing how we give back through all of the ways we do business,” said Rachel Hutchisson, Blackbaud’s director of corporate citizenship and philanthropy. “Our focus on corporate citizenship is an acknowledgement that we strive to make a difference both through what we do as a company and how we serve as individuals, professionally and personally.”
With existing programs that support volunteerism and nonprofit involvement, Blackbaud’s corporate citizenship commitment is to:
> Deliver products and solutions that help do good by offering free technology solutions, including Blackbaud Now and the starter version of eTapestry to more than 8,000 nonprofit organizations, providing The Blackbaud Index, and partnering with NetHope to support efforts in deploying technology to aid in disaster relief.
> Be a good steward of the environment by implementing green business practices; educating employees about green practices; encouraging employees to serve as volunteers; supporting Greenbaud, a grassroots employee environmental team; and supporting Blackbaud Sprouts, the employee team building a community garden.
> Serve others both through good business practices and through philanthropy by enabling employees to earn extra vacation days with the Volunteer for Vacation program; supporting Team Blackbaud, a grassroots employee volunteerism program; and offering Reward Your Passion grants to nonprofits where employees volunteer. Blackbaud launched the Nonprofit Leadership Circle, a group of employees from across the globe who serve on nonprofit boards of directors, so employees can learn from each other about how to build a better board. Additionally, at its recent conference, Blackbaud directed more than $200,000 in related expenses back to nonprofit organizations.
According to the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship (BCCCC), community involvement is the cornerstone of most companies’ commitment to corporate citizenship. Since 1995 the BCCCC has been tracking the development of this work through research on involvement practices of leading companies.
“Blackbaud realizes that corporate citizenship goes beyond traditional philanthropy and finds intersections among the interests of their business and the interests of society to maximize the value delivered to both,” said Katherine V. Smith, executive director, the Carroll School of Management’s Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. “While philanthropic efforts have historically reflected how a company shares its values and profits with its community, corporate citizenship is about how a company earns its profits and expresses its values within a community.”
The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship is a membership-based research organization associated with the Carroll School of Management. It is committed to helping businesses leverage its social, economic and human assets to ensure both its success, and a more just and sustainable world. The Center works with global corporations like Blackbaud to help them define, plan and operationalize their corporate citizenship. For more information on the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, visit www.bccorporatecitizenship.org.
For more information on Blackbaud Corporate Citizenship, visit www.blackbaud.com/corporatecitizenship.
About Blackbaud
Blackbaud is the leading global provider of software and services designed specifically for nonprofit organizations, enabling them to improve operational efficiency, build strong relationships, and raise more money to support their missions. Approximately 24,000 organizations — including University of Arizona Foundation, American Red Cross, Cancer Research UK, The Taft School, Lincoln Center, Tulsa Community Foundation, Ursinus College, Earthjustice, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the WGBH Educational Foundation — use one or more Blackbaud products and services for fundraising, constituent relationship management, financial management, website management, direct marketing, education administration, ticketing, business intelligence, prospect research, consulting, and analytics. Since 1981, Blackbaud’s sole focus and expertise has been partnering with nonprofits and providing them the solutions they need to make a difference in their local communities and worldwide. Headquartered in the United States, Blackbaud also has operations in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.blackbaud.com.
