I believe that philanthropy is a necessity. As a society, we all must be kind to one another, and those that can afford it should donate their time and funds to those in need. And while philanthropy on a private, individual level is important, I believe that today’s businesses have a responsibility to give back to their communities, and the world at large. When I was the CEO of the Hershey Trust Company, a major focus for me and my team was improving and giving back to the community that gave us so much.

 

With that being said, I wanted to highlight a few of the most charitable companies, and detail how they’re making the world a better place.

 

Deloitte

One of the world’s largest financial services companies, Deloitte specializes in audits, taxes and advisory services. The financial services goliath has devoted its philanthropic endeavors to a wide variety of causes, ranging anywhere from sustainability to mental health issues. More specifically, through Deloitte’s efforts, the company has connected more than 9,000 of its professionals with a variety of high-profile charitable organizations, including the Clinton Foundation and Mental Health America. Another focus of Deloitte’s is higher education; in fact, the company has given an astounding $70 million to higher education philanthropic initiatives.

 

Comcast NBCUniversal

If you’ve watched television in the past 10 years or so, then you’re familiar with Comcast NBCUniversal (CNBCU). The media conglomerate is well-known for its rapid expansion and monopolistic business practices, however, CNBCU has also done its part to help improve society. The company was heavily focused on assisting United States veterans, and so, in 2017, they met their goal of hiring 10,000 veterans, National Guard and Reserve members. What’s more, the media company is pushing for more diversity and has reported a 63% increase in female VPs and a 91% increase in employees of color.

 

Wegmans Food Market

Wegmans Food Market is a nationally-recognized supermarket. Unsurprisingly, the majority of Wegmans’ philanthropic efforts have been in the realm of food; more specifically, the company has donated well over 14 million pounds of food and millions of dollars to multiple hunger relief projects and organizations.

 

I enjoy seeing such large companies making a difference in the world. This is only a small list of companies that have done what they can to better their communities. I hope this inspires you to research some other ways that companies are getting in on the philanthropic action.