The Porter Novelli Purpose Tracker

With the economic strain of the pandemic causing people to give less and in different ways, events like GivingTuesday are even more important than ever. While point of sale donations may be seeing a decline, the virtual nature of GivingTuesday means individuals can donate from their laptops or in their homes, which is especially important as COVID cases rise. Today we explore three companies that contributed to areas of greatest need and extended efforts past just this Tuesday.

From November 13th to the 19th we observed Transgender Awareness Week – a time used to elevate transgender voices, build awareness and call attention to the many challenges transgender individuals face. This year, there have been significant wins for the transgender community, but even with this progress, the community still faces stigma and even acts of violence. Today is Transgender Day of Remembrance, which serves as a day to honor the victims of that brutality.

We are currently halfway through Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month that has historically dominated the cause marketing scene, but this year is a bit different. With almost 8 million cases of coronavirus in the U.S., it’s important to remember the fact that 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. Which begs the question, how do you fundraise for a health crisis that isn’t COVID-19? This week, we will examine three companies that have gotten creative to ensure their Breast Cancer Awareness Month efforts shine through.

While the globe still reels from the continued impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, other threats loom on the horizon. Indeed, some pundits are reminding us not to lose sight of other crises – including climate change.

This month we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. It kicks off on the important date of September 15th, the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. As the largest ethnic community in the United States, representing 60.6 million individuals across the nation, there is a lot to celebrate – and companies are joining in. This month we’ve already seen one company continue their strides for representation in their product line.

In wave ten of the Porter Novelli Tracker: Employee Perspectives on Responsible Leadership During Crisis, we’ll unpack employee perspectives on the topics of the day – including COVID-19, social justice and racial inequality – as well as how Purpose-driven companies can better engage employees through shared values.

On Sunday, July 26, the U.S. celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This Act extends civil rights to people with disabilities and prohibits discrimination in the workplace, public places, transportation, telecommunications and local government services and facilities. The ADA built a foundation of rights for people with disabilities but, as with all civil rights movements, there is a critical need to expand these rights. Companies are in a unique position to push the needle much further. This week, we examine how companies are building disability inclusion into their business strategy and fighting for a more inclusive world.

Over the past few weeks, we have reported on how companies are addressing the growing demand for social justice through communications and, more importantly, action. Americans are making it loud and clear that now is the time for change. In response, companies have confronted racism and embraced feedback when they have misstepped. This week we will examine companies that are honoring Black history by making Juneteenth a company holiday:

Speaking out and addressing these historic injustices is not only a moral imperative, it is a public – and business – mandate.