Should your nonprofit accept funding from a company that is trying to repair their image following a controversy or scandal?

Let’s face it, sometimes companies want to affiliate with a nonprofit as an offset for bad publicity or worse, criminal behavior.

Take the recent settlement with the Sackler family, owners of Purdue Pharma the makers of OxyContin. Under the $4.5 billion bankruptcy settlement and opioid suit, the Sackler family has been banned — temporarily — from putting their name on buildings of institutions where they have donated.

“You can’t buy your way to redemption or a good name, no matter how much money you have.” — Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.

A company that has been responsible for devastating so many lives should not be able to use its charity to further its reputation. The Sackler family will also give up control of two charitable foundations that fund cancer research.

There are many other examples, oil companies who make environmental contributions following devastating spills, or professional sports franchises that have used social justice movements in their commercials to redeem themselves following crackdowns on players themselves participating in protests.

There is no easy answer. Our field needs to continue to develop business practices that reflect our core values and serve as standup examples of positive social engagement.

Now You: Do corporate publicity campaigns that reflect social movements impress you or distress you?
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