Community Investment isn’t just about writing a cheque anymore

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) CALGARY, AB – On April 6 & 7, approximately fifty community investment professionals from a variety of Canadian corporations will gather at the annual LBG Canada Benchmarking Meeting, to examine how to maximize the value of their investments, measure their results and gain insight into the newest trends on strategic giving. 

While community investment (CI) is a reality for most corporations in Canada, LBG Canada companies strive to demonstrate effectiveness and accountability for the millions of dollars at stake. Participants of LBG Canada understand the importance of valuing their impact and being transparent with their results. Once a year, they take part in an annual benchmarking process that informs companies on effective program design, resource allocation and evaluation of their CI investments. The meeting April 6 & 7 is a forum to discuss results with their peers and build on their successes.    "Our CI team came back from the [2010] LBG Canada Benchmarking Meeting full of ideas. Through conversations with our peers we identified opportunities to improve our own processes," stated Lori Gammell, Manager, Suncor Energy Foundation and Community Investment, at last year’s annual meeting.   As companies evolve their community investment strategy, they are often faced by new challenges and opportunities to improve. This year, the LBG Canada meeting will explore emerging management and measurement trends, including how community investment can be an effective partnership with aboriginal relations, how community investment can partner with HR and how social media is a tool to profile community activities.   In addition, LBG Canada members will be joined by guest speaker Derek Gent, Executive Director of the Vancity Community Foundation as he shares his insights on the impacts of social finance and how it is changing the way companies can invest in the community. Social finance is an emerging investment agenda of interest to government, the business community, the non-profit world and social enterprise. As such, this workshop is open to interested parties outside the boundaries of LBG Canada.   “Companies join LBG Canada because they seek to achieve the highest standard in community investment practice,” saidStephanie Robertson, President of SiMPACT Strategy Group which facilitates LBG Canada. “The LBG Canada benchmarking audit is an opportunity for community investment professionals to connect with their peers from across the country, explore emerging community investment management and measurement trends and find new ways to maximize value – for the community and for the business.” -30- Download the Meeting Agenda. Hosted by Nexen Inc. at the Annex Conference Centre
3^rd floor, 801-7 Ave SW Calgary, AB
April 6, 10-5pm & April 7, 8-3pm Media Contact: Erin Lillywhite Team Leader Communications, SiMPACT Strategy Group
403.400.2222 erin@simpactstrategies.com
 www.lbg-canada.ca Follow us on LinkedIn  

About SiMPACT:
SiMPACT was established in 2005 with a vision to support management systems and skill development in the areas of strategic community investment and social return on investment (SROI). 
 
SiMPACT is the facilitator of LBG Canada, a growing group of companies using the LBG Model as a management framework to maximize the value of community investment programs – for the community and for the business.  Companies involved in LBG Canada are achieving a higher quality standard in program design, resource allocation and evaluation of the CI investments.  The increasing use of the LBG Canada logo in public reporting symbolizes a commitment to quality and good governance of the CI portfolio.

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