ING Foundation's Partners in Empowerment

The Challenge

For corporate foundations, there are essentially two measures of success— how much you give away and how effective you are in doing so. ING had a strong global brand, but the ING Foundation’s efforts in the U.S. were diffuse, reactive and not clearly associated with any one issue. In 2007, the Foundation decided that its charitable giving needed to be more focused, more impactful, and better aligned with the company’s core competencies.

The Solution

Together with Tiller, the ING Foundation initiated and implemented a strategic redirection of the Foundation focusing on what ING does best— helping people secure their financial future. Working under the platform “Partners in Empowerment,” the ING Foundation set out to create and support programs that would financially empower ING’s customers and communities. This focus on Financial Empowerment clearly aligned with ING’s competencies and reinforced the brand promise “Your Future. Made Easier.” 

The Results

As a part of the “Partners in Empowerment” platform, the Foundation partnered with Essence magazine to conduct definitive research about Black women’s attitudes and behaviors relative to saving and investing. The research attracted high profile media attention including multiple feature stories in Essence. Additional coverage included U.S. News & World Report and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution among others; broadcast venues such as NPR’s Tell Me More with Michel Martin; industry trades including Financial Planning and Investment News; and African-American focused media such as Chicago Defender and BET.com.

Separately, in cooperation with Girls Inc., the nation’s pre-eminent advocacy organization for girls, the ING Foundation built a high-visibility, hands-on, nationwide investment contest, the ING-Girls Inc. Investment Challenge, with participation by affiliates in Denver, New York and Alameda and Los Angeles Counties in California. With the goal of supporting financial literacy and encouraging better saving and investing habits, the ING Foundation donated $50,000 to each affiliate to be used as principal for an investment account managed by the girls. At the end of the contest period, all portfolio gains will be divided among the girls in the form of Girls Inc. scholarships for post-secondary education. The Investment Challenge has been profiled by the NY Daily News and Black Enterprise.

In addition, ING Foundation president Rhonda Mims was named one of PR News' 2008 CSR Executives of the Year for her efforts in restructuring ING’s CSR program and transforming the impact of its giving efforts on communities and the ING brand alike.

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