There is an ongoing debate between how economic and social objectives are balanced in brands and corporates with questions often being asked such as; is the return on investment (ROI) in social capital offset on the bottom line? What is the business case for CSR? Or is it more the emotional ROI that organisations feel when they do good?
Whilst a strong CSR programme has many intangible benefits; a few that can be measured over time are worth noting, such as; increasing brand loyalty with consumers, creating a strong internal culture, enhancing employee satisfaction and building relationships with communities where the business entities operate out of.
Faced with the shocking statistic by World Data Lab that by 2025, 21.18% of children will have stunted cognitive and physical development due to malnutrition, as KFC we decided in 2009 that we wanted to play a more active role in being a solution provider to some of the challenges faced by South Africans on a daily basis.
As a food brand it was a no-brainer that the starting point would be to develop a programme to overcome hunger and malnutrition in children. Add Hope was born with the aspiration of being the biggest feeder of children in this country, bigger than government. But, we needed a funding mechanism that would be both sustainable as well as scalable. We therefore structured Add Hope in two ways: donating a fixed percentage of operational costs to the programme and creating a channel whereby KFC customers and the public have the option of adding R2 to their bills.
As the fastest growing quick service restaurant (QSR) brand in this country, this has allowed us to channel this growth into funding Add Hope sustainably. Today, years later and with over 283-million meals served, we have demonstrated the power of just what R2 can do; that small change can create a big change.
An article in Forbes put it thus: “Philanthropy increases brand loyalty when you practice it genuinely. Giving back increases engagement by sharing a mission and purpose with your customer base.”
Giving a meal to a child creates hope.
Successful corporate social investment (CSI) programmes must be strategic, structured and transparent. If the first rule of CSI is to be genuine, the second is to be totally transparent about how all those R2 donations are being spent. Every single cent of every R2 collected goes to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). There is no administration fee.
It is very important to align your CSI with your brand and business values, and make social responsibility part of your corporate identity, not merely an add-on. That is how you make it stick.
Lastly, our success can also be attributed to the non-profit organisations (NPO) partners that we have taken onboard to help us distribute the meals. That in itself is a lesson. Most CSI funds in South Africa go to NPOs and it is important to select a reputable one. The more rigorous the vetting and auditing protocols are, the more you are assured the money is working as it should. December 2023, we partnered with Gift of the Givers and every single R2 donation raised for Add Hope would be administered by them. Gift of the Givers embodies the very best of what South Africa is and should be. Through them, Add Hope will impact more South African children, changing and saving lives. Together we are not just adding hope; we are delivering it, one meal at a time. Because at KFC, we recognise that our responsibility as a brand is to protect the livelihood of those that need it the most, our children, our future.
