Launch of Comprehensive Annual Tracking of Corporate Giving; Provides Sought-After Insights into Trends

NEW YORK, Jan. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The source for the most comprehensive look at corporate giving trends year to year, CECP in association with The Conference Board, opens its 13^th annual Corporate Giving Standard (CGS) survey of Fortune 500 companies, with the analysis of the data shared in May. The first data on the topic available each year and the only rigorous study of corporate societal engagement available for public download at no cost, the data gathered through this survey of approximately 250 of the largest companies in the world capture information on total giving, program areas, employee engagement, predictions for 2014, and more.

"CECP is grounded in the belief that what gets measured, counts," stated Daryl Brewster, CEO, CECP. "CECP hears from survey participants year after year that the results allow companies to strengthen their programs as they are able to track progress and benchmark against peer companies. The data tell a detailed story about corporate giving each year that companies rely on to align their corporate societal engagement efforts with core business strategies."

Not only does the survey allow for tracking year-over-year for key industry giving benchmarks, but also this year boasts important updates that will allow for a new perspective on the leading trends. The responses to new questions will allow for an in-depth look at:

• Societal impact measurement
• Global giving, including questions on total giving using the CECP Global Guide valuation guidance and giving data by country
• Corporate support of social enterprises and signature programs
• Employee engagement and company gift-matching programs

All companies with $3 billion or more in revenue are invited to join the free benchmarking project by contacting CECP. The submission deadline for inclusion in the analysis is April 1, 2014. CECP will provide an exclusive look at the findings from the survey to its affiliated companies at the CECP Summit on May 20, 2014 in New York City and will share results with the media later that day.

CECP implemented this measurement initiative in 2001 as a way for companies to measure and gauge their charitable contributions. Participation has increased from 17 companies in 2001 to 240 companies in 2012.  In 2013, the repository contained more than $120 billion worth of corporate giving data.

Drawing from these data, CECP releases the Giving in Numbers corporate benchmarking guidebook each year, and in the fall of 2014 will release the 10^th annual report on corporate giving trends with the benefit of support and insights from The Conference Board.

About CECP: The CEO Force for Good
CECP is a coalition of CEOs who believe societal improvement is an essential measure of business performance. Through convenings and thought leadership, CECP is a global nonprofit organization that fosters collaboration among Fortune 500 companies striving to solve some of the world's most pressing problems through the skills and resources of their companies. Companies affiliated with CECP—150 at the CEO level and 50 at the company level--together have more than $6.5 trillion in annual revenue and more than 14.5 million employees, and invest more than $14 billion annually in cash and non-cash in the communities around them. For more information visit http://cecp.co.

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is a global, independent business membership and research association working in the public interest. Our mission is unique: To provide the world's leading organizations with the practical knowledge they need to improve their performance and better serve society. The Conference Board is a non-advocacy, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States.  
www.conference-board.org

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