By Leo Jakobson
Linen's 'n Things has embraced cause-related marketing, unveiling a pink gift card that supports the fight against breast cancer.
The Linens 'n Things Pink Gift Card, which gives $1 per card sold to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, is not the only cause the Clifton, NJ-based retailer of home textiles and housewares will support. Cause-related Linens 'n Things gift cards can be created for other charities sponsored by corporations, and co-branded with a corporate logo.
In this, Linens 'n Things is catching a growing trend in corporate America: corporate philanthropy is an increasingly important part of recruiting new workers. According to "Creating a Virtuous Cycle: Strategic Corporate Community Involvement," an April, 2007 report by consulting firm Deloitte & Touche USA, Millennials—also known as Generation Y—are insisting that their employers be good corporate citizens, and choose to work for companies whose values align with their own.
"This generation is moving the old model of philanthropy—something that was separate from business—to a socially minded undertaking that is part of business," says Barry Salzberg, a managing partner of the firm. "They are looking for the double bottom line—both the social impact and the business value—from community involvement."
The report cites research from 2006 that found that 86 percent of Millennials feel that "companies have a responsibility to support social/environmental causes," and four out of five want to work for a firm that cares about its impact on society. More than half said they would not work for a poor corporate citizen.
The Linens 'n Things Pink Gift Card has no fees or expiration date.
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