2008 Pro Bono Award Winners

As a sponsor of the Pro Bono Summit we were asked to identify outstanding examples of pro bono programs to highlight at the opening reception. Last night at the Harvard Club in Manhattan, these six firms were honored.

1. Ad Council

   For over sixty years, the Ad Council has been the advertising industry’s gift to our communities. Every year dozens of ad firms develop the pro bono creative that Ad Council places on $2 billion in donated ad inventory to get out critical PSAs.

2. McKinsey

   Since its inception, McKinsey has made pro bono a core part of their culture. Today, their 8,000 consultants provide 5% of their time to pro bono work. That is the equivalent of a 400 person full-time consulting firm dedicated to pro bono.

3. General Electric

   GE has pioneered the in-house legal pro bono concept. Their leadership has enabled attorneys to realize that they don’t need to be at a law firm to do it pro bono. Today, roughly 50% of GE attorneys participate in the program.

4. Pentagram Design

   Pentagram, the gold standard of design firms, reports that 50% of their clients are nonprofits who they serve pro bono. As they explain, this investment is a large part of what has put them on top. Their pro bono work is widely recognized and is a significant part of what attracts their paid corporate work.

5. Monitor

   Monitor, a 1,500 person consultant strategy firm, has partnered with New Profit, Inc in Boston to channel tens of millions of dollars of pro bono consulting to well vetted and high potential social entrepreneurs. By working with New Profit, Monitor is able to focus their pro bono efforts on high potential nonprofits at an inflection point in their growth. This maximizes the impact of their pro bono work.

6. Harvard Business School Community Partners

   HBSCP works with HBS alumni on consulting projects for nonprofits. In the Bay Area alone, they provide over $1 million per year in consulting to local nonprofits. They are making pro bono part of what it means to be an HBS alumnus. They are truly building the ethic into the DNA of business leaders.

Join the efforts of these inspiring businesses by kick-starting a pro bono program at your company. Connect with us to find out how.