Corporate support is much more than a logo

Sponsored festivals and events can connect communities, says Lisa Paley.

Think about the last event you attended. Did you think twice as you walked past the sponsor board displaying the logos of an array of companies? Probably not. We have all become accustomed to the idea corporations have an important role to play in supporting community organizations of all types, but often we don’t consider the positive impact their support has on the community as a whole or the operations themselves.

As we prepare for Pride Week, it’s important to remember most sponsors support Pride not because it’s good for business, but because it’s the right thing to do. Most corporate support for Pride started at the grassroots level with employees taking the lead to encourage respective employers to take part. For example, TD is doing more than just placing a logo. In fact, the organization is highly involved in the LGBTQ2+ community by supporting important organizations for the last 12 years.

While many companies now support Pride, TD is an organization that carries that further with the recent launch of The Ready Commitment. This new global corporate citizenship platform is, among other initiatives, targeting $1 billion by 2030 toward community giving.

Being connected to your community is becoming increasingly important. According to a 2017 Vancouver Foundation report, most people want to get to know their neighbours better. Events such as festivals and social gatherings are popular ways for people to meet.

When it comes to being inclusive, TD and many other organizations don’t just talk the talk, they walk the walk at Pride festivals across North America. In the case of TD, for example, the organization is proudly supporting 83 Pride festivals and more than 160 LGBTQ2+ organizations and initiatives. We are not the only company doing this.

TD’s commitment to connected communities builds on our long history of supporting the LGBTQ2+ community over the years. TD strives to ensure everyone feels included and welcome and their voices are being heard by supporting a wide range of organizations of all sizes and scales.

We are one of many Canadian organizations equally committed to building an environment where every colleague and customer is valued, respected and supported.

But there’s still a lot of work to do to ensure the journey to inclusion continues.

Pride is a celebration of kindness, accepting oneself, courage, humanity and love and an important way to foster greater connections in our community. That’s why we need to continue to support and celebrate Pride.