Haiti earthquake and my plea to corporate America. pt1

This is an unprecedented moment for me personally, writing this note feels like the right thing to be doing, but it also feels scary, almost as if I am exploring an uncharted new territory, guided only by my faith, intuition and moral compass.

It’s now almost 5 days since the catastrophic earthquake devastated Haiti.

During this time, I’ve watched news report after news report (all via the web), telling a story of unimaginable human pain, suffering, death, destruction and despair.

This note has one purpose, it is my personal open plea to corporate America, asking them to step up in the name of humanity and help the people of Haiti.

“Dear corporate America,

I’m writing to you as a humanitarian, who has been deeply touched by the earthquake in Haiti.

It pains me to witness such unimaginable human suffering and despair.

The needs of the Haitian people are beyond anything that I can truly understand.

I know there are times when corporations get a bad rap from the media and consumers. There’s no need for me to go into this in detail, I don’t have the time right now, and need to remain focused and ‘on topic’.

This is THE moment to think very carefully (but please don’t procrastinate and take too long just thinking), about how corporate America, by coming together ‘as one’, can have a hugely positive impact on the lives of the Haitian people.

So this is my plea to you, that TODAY, you do come together ‘as one’, and move beyond making wholly inadequate $1M – $5M donations and pledges to relief agencies carrying out emergency work on the ground in Haiti. These donations and pledges are helpful, but you can and must do much, much more. You are under the spotlight like never before.

If you can find it within yourselves to reallocate some of your vast marketing and advertising budgets, by making them available to high impact relief agencies, as well as organizations taking a longer term view of Haiti’s needs, you will be doing a great service to Humanity, the people of Haiti, as well as your own corporate reputations.

This tragic earthquake has provided you with a truly unique ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’ moment. A moment to demonstrate, with real authenticity, what you are made of.

I pray that this blog post will eventually find its way to corporate leaders and decision makers, who are in a position to act decisively, and demonstrate a new kind of 21st Century leadership, something more in line with the expectations of ‘grassroots citizens’.

Personally, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to be looking at how, collectively, ‘corporate America’ can make a $1 Billion USD ‘humanitarian’ contribution, and make an announcement about this historic and unprecedented commitment in the coming 7 to 10 days. I’m sure President Obama will support you, and endorse your noble decision.

I fully understand how disruptive this will be to your 2010 marketing programs, but sometimes, there are moments in time, when bold and courageous decisions have to be made. As far as I’m concerned this is one of those moments.

I will close my plea, by saying that if you do come together ‘as one’, and ‘put business at the service of Humanity’, you will gain a new kind of respect from ‘THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA‘ who are the lifeblood of your business.”

Warmest and heartfelt thanks

Steve Jennings

Founder, zyOzy Foundation, a new kind of 501(c)(3) humanity benefit organization

zyOzy: changing the way WE think, make decisions, OUR habits of the heart, and how WE do business.

“I am one. I cannot do everything…but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do. What I can do, I should do. And what I should do, by the grace of God, I will do”- Edward Everett Hale

16 January, 2010, 9.45pm CST – Update: My Tweets about Haiti and plea to corporate America have so far reached 829,824 readers, 440,774 of them unique.