It was Milton Friedman who posited in 1970 that the best corporate citizens were not those who had charitable giving as a value; rather the best corporations were those who maximized their profits and let the stockholders worry about charitable giving.
His view sparks plenty of debate as many corporations have rejected his thesis and begun serving other “stakeholders” beside the stockholders. KLD Research publishes a scorecard rating that corporate citizenship on the theory that Friedman was wrong.
For both large and small businesses, other research demonstrates that the attitude of giving begins at the top and reflects the personal core values of the leader reflected, for example, in a small business leader who donates time at a soup kitchen, cooking and serving meals. Money may be tight for his small business – but he still gives time.
Modern man is finally coming around to Ancient Wisdom – is your care for the needy just a mental construct or is it made real in your actions?
Proverbs 19:17 (MSG) Mercy to the needy is a loan to God, and God pays back those loans in full.