What is philanthropy or volunteerism? Whenever I write here, I am very careful with the words I use. Before writing them on this blank page, I consult them on the RAE website to study their use and thus apply them in my communication texts.
Today I started looking for two words and concepts: Philanthropy and Volunteerism. Why? Because I see that many companies, brands and politicians try every day to apply these concepts for their personal benefit and rarely succeed. I detect content on their social networks and those who try it in an incipient way look worse than the people who receive them or the community in general.
And where is the community, apa?
Philanthropy has a very powerful meaning: Love for humans. And this is essentially how it should be applied in companies, people or politicians and when it is not done for this purpose of clarity, it stinks of falsehood and does more damage to those who try it than the fundamental mission of value. And philanthropy should be done when brands or companies, only and only if, have the value of reciprocity with the community that supported them to generate wealth. And this philanthropy and universal brotherhood is not only used by powerful brands and millionaire companies. We as SMEs, can share the love for humans every day without expecting anything in return. Just for giving back to the community what it gave you.
Volunteerism is a fundamental value that brands inject
As for voluntarism, it is something more unique within the people who work in companies, brands or organizations. Here the leaders and shareholders must promote it within their allies, suppliers, employees or collaborators. Volunteering, which here at LATAM we confuse with volunteering, is the individual condition of each member to help with their grain of sand, their valuable time to support fundamental causes so that the world is better.
So, philanthropy and volunteerism have to be fundamental concepts to work together and that companies, professionals and brands help every day to make this world a little better. Without expecting anything in return, no materialistic retribution, just for helping. And perhaps this advertising that brands are looking for will already be communicated in a very powerful way by word of mouth. As a powerful and authentic congruence message from brands, people and organizations have real values and this is communicated inward as well. And that is the most powerful and effective invisible communication in the world. It is made from the community, the authenticity and the voluntary and real effort with contributions from each human who really wants to help their environment.