Business Generosity Survey

NAME OF ORGANISATION
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

OVERVIEW
The Business Generosity Survey (BGS) is a user-funded survey, collecting previously unavailable information on what could be described as "business giving". In the opinion of the survey's main client and sponsor, the Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership (CBP), previous similar ABS surveys did not provide adequate coverage of all forms of business giving, having concentrated primarily on sponsorships of a monetary nature. A key element of the BGS therefore was the need to collect not only monetary values, but also the "dollar equivalent values" of any goods or services components associated with any business giving arrangements.

In early 2001 the ABS investigated the feasibility of conducting such as survey in conjunction with the 2000/01 Economic Activity Survey. It was ultimately found that the survey was feasible, and BGS survey forms were subsequently despatched to a sample of approximately 9,000 businesses in August 2001.

PURPOSE
The purpose of the BGS is to provide estimates, in dollar terms, of the overall level of support given to the community sector by the business sector. The survey will also provide some indication of the barriers to business giving.

SCOPE
The scope of the BGS is similar to that for the EAS collection, except for the exclusion from the BGS of Religious Organisations (ANZSIC class 9610). The scope of the BGS is therefore all management units on the ABS Business Register except those classified to either General Government or ANZSIC subdivisions 01-04 (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing), 81-82 (Government Adminsitation and Defence) and 97 (Private Households Employing Staff).

DATA DETAIL

Conceptual framework
The main objectives of the Business Generosity Survey (BGS) are to provide estimates of the overall level of business support for the community sector, and to produce previously unavailable benchmark data on the level and nature of business giving across the economy. The estimates will serve as a benchmark for comparing growth or otherwise in the level of business support for the community sector across the economy in future years. The questions asked on the survey form are designed to capture the monetary value of donations, sponsorship and other business giving arrangements in the form of money, goods and services.

Main outputs
No decision has yet been made re the main outputs from the BGS. It is anticipated that a hardcopy publication will be released in mid 2002, containing broad level aggregates.

Classifications
The BGS collection is supplementary to the EAS collection. As a result, it is an ESG integrated collection and wherever possible uses standard classifications for industry (ANZSIC - the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification), sector (SISCA - the Standard Institutional Sector Classification of Australia), organisation (TOLO - Type of Legal Organisation), units (MU - Management Unit) and data item definitions. The use of standard classifications will enable data from the BGS to be comparable across ESG collections.

The BGS collection uses non-standard definitions to classify the various types of business giving, ie. Donations, Sponsorships and Business to community projects.

Other concepts (summary)
The ABS standard definitions of Donations and Sponsorship were used in the initial testing phase for the BGS. However, these definitions had to be refined following feasibility and pilot testing. It was apparent that the motivational aspect associated with donations made by businesses were not captured in the earlier definitions of business giving. For example, a business may show support for an organisation by purchasing goods or services at a cost above the usual market rate - businesses clearly regarded such purchases as donations, even though they received something in return. Examples of this would include the purchase of fund-raising pens from the RSPCA, 'red noses' from SIDS Australia or a table at a benefit dinner for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute.

Apart from Donations and Sponsorship, a third type of business giving, Business to community projects, was identified. Such arrangements typically involve the transfer of money, goods or services from a business to a non-related community organisation or individual in exchange for what could be described as "strategic business benefits", such as enhanced community reputation or improved staff expertise.

GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
Australia

Comments and/or Other Regions


COLLECTION FREQUENCY
Once Only

Frequency comments
The Business Generosity Survey (BGS) is a one-off user funded survey, being conducted as a supplementary survey in conjunction with the annual Economic Activity Survey (EAS). The BGS may be conducted again within 3-4 years if there is sufficient user demand and user funding.

COLLECTION HISTORY
11/1998 In his keynote address at the 1998 ACOSS National Congress, the Prime Minister said that "it has been estimated that Australian business contributes less than 5 per cent of the total funds available to the not-for-profit sector", and that he would "... like to see many more businesses contribute to the welfare of their community through cash grants, matching gifts, gifts in kind and other activities ...". The Prime Minister also said that "the spirit of corporate citizenship suggests that a company that derives profit from the community has an obligation to contribute to its development".

11/1999 The Prime Minister's Community Business Partnership (CBP) was formed and met with the Prime Minister for the first time. The CBP Board consists of senior Government representatives, as well as prominent business and community leaders. The stated aim of the CBP is to encourage and enhance partnerships between the corporate and community sectors.

07/2000 The ABS was approached by the CBP, seeking ABS involvement in a user-funded survey on "business giving". The proposed survey would provide an estimate of the overall level of business support for the community sector, in terms of dollars given and also the types of organisations that benefited from business giving. It was agreed that the ABS would undertake the necessary development work, with a view to conducting the actual survey in conjunction with the 2000-01 Economic Activity Survey (EAS).

09/2000 The Acting Australian Statistician gave in-principle approval for the proposed survey.

11/2000 Two strategy papers were prepared by Economy Wide Statistics (EWS) Section and presented to ABS senior management.

04/2001 EWS prepared a draft survey form after consulting with the CBP and Economic Standards Section on concepts and definitions. Observational studies were conducted to determine the level of provider understanding of the concepts and definitions used in the draft survey form.

05/2001 A pilot study of 100 Management Units was conducted. Feasibility testing was completed and a report recommending that the BGS be conducted was presented to ABS senior management.

06/2001 The ABS and CBP agreed that the BGS should proceed. The BGS was tabled in both houses of Federal Parliament.

08/2001 The BGS was despatched in conjunction with the 2000-01 Economic Activity Survey.

DATA AVAILABILITY
Yes