The Better Business Bureau encourages you to look for companies that disclose benefiting charity names, percentages of sales benefiting charities, duration of marketing campaigns and maximum or minimum contribution amounts, if applicable.
You can eliminate the possibility of supporting a company marketing false pink-ribbon donation claims by:
• Identifying the charity receiving the donation. If the product or service is linked to a donation percentage, contact the business to determine exactly where the money is going and what percentage is donated.
• Confirming the charity’s corporate partners. Many national breast cancer charities list the names of corporate partners and sponsors on their Web sites.
• Researching the charity with the BBB. Visit www.bbb.org or call (937) 222-5825 or (800) 776-5301. If you receive phone solicitations for donations, be cautious of people claiming to represent national breast cancer charities. According to the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month organization (NBCAM), the group doesn’t solicit contributions and hasn’t authorized the use of its name for solicitation purposes. Contact charities directly to confirm telephone solicitations.
John North is president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau.
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