Corporate giving not up to scratch

Fundraising | Gemma Ware | 2 Apr 2008

Donations to charities from UK companies are struggling to reach the holy grail of 1 per cent of pre-tax profits, despite an increase in value of 26.5 per cent in the last two years.

According to the Directory of Social Change’s latest edition of The Guide to UK Company Giving, donations and in-kind support in 2005-6 rose to £734m, up from £580m in 2003-4.

However, analysis of the last 10 years of figures found average donations totalled just 0.25 per cent of pre-tax profits – 0.41 per cent if gifts-in-kind were included.

The DSC said none of the top five banks donated 1 per cent of pre-tax profits, despite often being listed at the top of the UK’s largest givers. However, some small companies achieved beyond it, including Dyson which donated 10 per cent.

David McNeill, director of press and public affairs at Business in the Community said: “The 1 per cent target is an important benchmark, so it’s disappointing not to see positive movement in this area.” He added that a lag between profits coming in and donations going out may have distorted figures.

Directory: Directory of Social Change (DSC)
Who's Who: Gemma Ware

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