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Apple Institutes New Charitable Matching Program for Employees
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I like the idea however, I think this opens up a can of worms. What is charitable? What if employees are contributing to a charity that Apple doesn't agree with? Will politics be involved or religion?
I'm having a hard time trying not to be cynical about this - or about any kind of charity work that Apple may do.
As long as the bulk of their manufacturing rests with China, with workers who in some cases have abysmal living and working conditions, it's just too damned hard not to see the hypocrisy.
I like Apple, generally, and have an iHousehold (iEverything?). But this particular article leaves something of a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm not seeing it clearly though - I'm open to any thoughts on this.
As long as the bulk of their manufacturing rests with China, with workers who in some cases have abysmal living and working conditions, it's just too damned hard not to see the hypocrisy.
I like Apple, generally, and have an iHousehold (iEverything?). But this particular article leaves something of a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe I'm not seeing it clearly though - I'm open to any thoughts on this.
cool ! another internal email leaking to MacRumors...
the company should really hunt down the traitors and fire them
the company should really hunt down the traitors and fire them
Haha, i don't think apple is going to get in the way of their employees political or religious views.
Can you imagine the dialog:
Apple: "Well, we don't believe in your god so we aren't going to match your contribution"
I just don't see it happening.
Thats the problem. What if someone donates to lets say... Al Queda? I know its extreme but it brings up the point... will Apple blindly match contributions or will it use discretion much like they approve App Store Apps.
What Apple should do is give employees a raise. Pay at Apple isn't the best especially in the retail world. When they took our bonuses away and gave everyone raises people were so excited. This is more of a way for Apple to get the "Jobs non Charity" subject off there backs while getting a tax deduction. If they really wanted to please shareholders and/or employees they would give them something they could use during such hard economic times.
Agree 100%.
Of course, this news doesn't preclude him from doing that sort of thing (or getting someone to do it), but frankly when it comes to getting a retina iPad out there that blows everyone away, consumers don't really give a sweet damn about charitable matching programs. Nice but not necessary. And if it was done in response to perceived pressure from that retarded NYT article and whatever phantom (meaningless) criticism it might have generated, then the end is near for Apple. At least the Apple that brought the brand back to life and turned it into a cultural icon.
The Apple I know doesn't cave. Let's hope they did nothing of the sort this time.
I can see your point about this being a "waste" of resources but I'm sure it's pretty minimal. Why is this arbitrary? Why is this ripe for abuse?
Huh? Bribery? Of who? The charity? The employees? How is this maintaining power over anyone? Political? I'd argue it's exactly the opposite. If Apple as a corporation decided to give $500 million to any one particular charity or group of charities, that could be seen as bribery or political leverage. It would be seen as endorsement of one or several organizations over others. But allowing individual employees to choose an amount to give to the charities of their own choice, and seeing that amount get doubled, is empowering, and non-biased, and non-interfering. The charity gets twice the money, the employee that donated to it feels good about it and gets tax benefits, Apple looks good and gets tax benefits. Everyone wins.
I already give thousands of dollars to my choice of charities, without any help from my employeer. If my employer were to come to me and offer to match those funds, I'd be ecstatic, and so would the charities I give to. I might even be motivated to give even more, to max out the potential extra donation.
If not gaining.
What if your charities are considered offensive to other employees though? I'm all for INDIVIDUALS contributing but when companies get involved it starts getting a bit murky.
We have a similar initiative at TimeWarner, there is a quite wide range of "approved" charities. you can easily find one that fits your sensibility. It is a worldwide program, though.
A fair point, but doesn't your government already take care of that in administering the 501(c) designation? Would a fund going to Al Queda be able to get an official charity status from the government?
Seeing how the government is starting to uncover a lot of "charities" that were giving money directly to Al Queda and the fact that the government couldn't even agree on the correct way to wipe there asses, I wouldn't put it past the government to miss things.
Again, totally think this is a great idea but like another poster posted above, I believe it should be pre approved charities (ie: ASPCA, Project Red, Feed the Children). What that does is it gives people a choice to who they want to donate for and then Apple would match.
Uh, Tim, Shareholder here. How you doing? Very nice about that giving away money to charity thing. But, in case you didn't know, that is kind of my money. When are going to start giving dividends to your shareholders?
Seriously, lovely thought that they match charitable contributions. But I see this as a sign of what I fear that they have so much money sitting around at Apple and they know that a ton more is just about to come rushing in, that they don't know what to do with it. So they have economically empowered their employees to have access to the Apple checkbook for their employees favorite causes. I don't think that is going to produce much shareholder value.
As for PR, mark my words, at some point soon, some apple employee will make a contribution to a radical mosque or some other religious organization with less than mainstream views, Apple will write a matching check and it will get in the press that Apple is funding someone radical. Then this PR stunt will blow up on them.
Seriously, lovely thought that they match charitable contributions. But I see this as a sign of what I fear that they have so much money sitting around at Apple and they know that a ton more is just about to come rushing in, that they don't know what to do with it. So they have economically empowered their employees to have access to the Apple checkbook for their employees favorite causes. I don't think that is going to produce much shareholder value.
As for PR, mark my words, at some point soon, some apple employee will make a contribution to a radical mosque or some other religious organization with less than mainstream views, Apple will write a matching check and it will get in the press that Apple is funding someone radical. Then this PR stunt will blow up on them.
Haha! Thats a terrorist organization and if they ever registered as a charity
apple still wouldn't match the donation. Al Queda is a blatant violent organization. If they were more sophisticated they might be able to dream up a scheme where they could kill and still be considered charitable. Who knows in this mixed up world.Hard to make profit in a Not For Profit..., money would be tied up as a restricted fund most likely.
Or, you wouldn't get/lose your charitable organization licence because of misrepresentation.
Tell you what, you give me 50% of that $7,500 and I'll teach you how to defraud Apple, it's employees, the Federal Governement and small children with terminal illnesses properly and without a paper trail.
We will get rich together!
Hmmm. Wasn't Jobs at the helm in 2008 when Apple made a $100,000 donation to the "No on 8" campaign?
I'm in full agreement. This sort of altruistic nonsense is a drain on the company. It's sad that they think they need to do this for "PR". It's unfair to 1) shareholders who don't want to donate to XYZ charity, and 2) employees who don't donate to charity (as their coworkers basically got a form of pay raise). I don't know exactly who they think they are going to appease, but it won't help them when the anti-trust regulators try to screw them for being too successful. I've very disappointed that they are going to start playing this kind of game.
Haha! Thats a terrorist organization and if they ever registered as a charity
http://news.intelwire.com/2010/04/us-gave-millions-to-charity-linked-to.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/07/terror/main621621.shtml
It happens.
