Comunicação para a sustentabilidade : a importância do goodwill no terceiro sector

Abstract

This research assesses the role of communication in the sustainability of third sector organizations, particularly through its contribution to goodwill. Non-profit organizations (NPO) live on goodwill. As the struggle for financing becomes harder, NPOs must find a way to stand out from the crowd. Goodwill is an intangible asset that, in the eyes of the market, and particularly in the eyes of potential donors, provides social organizations with a distinct and competitive advantage that is acquired through a consistent and reliable performance. But goodwill is also the outcome of the organization’s communication strategy, especially when you’re dealing with institutions where image plays an important and crucial role in terms of their overall assessment, when there isn’t exactly a ‘product’ to show for, getting a “good predisposition from someone to something” depends basically on how you manage to communicate your actions and performance. To find out the actual impact of communication on goodwill, in-depth exploratory interviews were conducted with six major (potential) sponsors from a variety of economic sectors. A survey to 85 third sector organizations, ranging from social services to education and development was also conducted. The results show that NPOs do not fully exploit all available resources to enhance their communication potential. This happens, partly because of the new communication paradigms, namely the social networks, which require a different attitude and a creative approach, which the organizations don’t seem to be ready for. On the other hand this also happens due to the lack of communications experts within their staff, permanent or volunteers. It is therefore urgent that organizations of the third sector seek professional help that enables the planning and implementing of effective communication strategies