I don’t need to tell you that communications and marketing are perhaps the two most horizontal functions in any organization. Together, we are responsible for serving all of a company’s major stakeholders, touching many audiences.

This month, I’d like to bring your attention to one of these areas. Philanthropy and corporate citizenship continue to grow in importance—not only to the recipients of a company’s giving but also to its standing among employees, customers, and communities at large.

That’s why I hope you’ll join us for the 2018 Corporate Philanthropy Conference, December 4–5 in New York. Under the theme of “Engagement in an Age of Activism and Outrage,” this year’s conference dives into the complex, polarizing, and fast-moving issues that companies are increasingly expected to address on the public stage. It will also reveal the central role communicators and marketers can play in advancing successful giving, social impact, and stakeholder engagement programs.

Finally, I urge you to read about a landmark benchmarking study on the social outcomes of corporate giving, produced in partnership with Mission Measurement and set to arrive later this year. We’re currently gathering data from a range of companies and would love your organization’s involvement—follow the link above for details.