On January 20th, Wang Zhenyao, Dean of the China Institute of Public Welfare at Beijing Normal University, pointed out at the press conference of the China Donation Top 100 List (2021) that the world has entered the era of charity economy, and China has objectively entered the era of "social value economy". Social value will lead economic value.
Among the top 100 Chinese donations in 2021, a total of 104 individuals made the list, with a total donation amount of 69.724 billion yuan (RMB), reaching a new high in history and more than three times the historical average. Among them, donations of over 100 million yuan account for over 60% of the list, and stock donations are increasing.
Wang Zhenyao said that from 2000 to 2011, the global per capita GDP increased from around $5000 to over $10000. But in the following decade, the per capita GDP remained stagnant, fluctuating around $11000. In 2019, China's per capita GDP crossed the threshold of $10000. The per capita GDP exceeding 10000 US dollars is an important indicator, which means that the total amount of material wealth is greatly enriched, and people are starting to consider the issue of transitioning from "good" to "better". Therefore, the overall business logic is also undergoing a transformation.
In the past, economic value led social value, but now social value is starting to lead economic value, "he said. Does the quality of products meet high standards? Does the enterprise treat customers, employees, and the environment well? These indicators have become important factors for measuring the high-quality development of enterprises. When the goal of economic development shifts to "seeking good", this era is called the "social value economy" era.
In the era of "social value economy", public welfare charity is no longer a backup option for enterprise development, but a necessary option. The country is vigorously promoting the construction of public services, and in this process, enterprises need to integrate their own philosophy and mission with the needs of society, and carry out public welfare and charitable activities with a serious attitude towards project development and investment.
After the promulgation of the Charity Law in 2016, China's public welfare charity industry has made significant progress. By 2021, the number of social organizations in China has exceeded 900000, among which the number of charitable organizations and social service organizations is also constantly increasing, and a large amount of social resources are beginning to be mobilized.
Wang Zhenyao believes that in the new era, public welfare and philanthropy have undergone significant changes compared to the past. The older generation of philanthropists mainly use donations to solve the problem of food and clothing for the impoverished population. At present, public welfare and charitable undertakings should not only promote donations, but also connect the government, enterprises, and society, and benefit people's livelihoods through the joint construction of some projects. On the one hand, small and medium-sized enterprises can form a joint effort from multiple parties and choose familiar fields to develop targeted projects; On the other hand, it can sink into the community and play a role at the grassroots level through peer-to-peer assistance. Charity is not just about big projects and big strokes, but precisely solving grassroots problems will also earn social respect.
In the era of "social value economy", public welfare and charity can promote the progress of social civilization. Wang Zhenyao believes that the power of public welfare and charity can play a crucial role in social governance. Compared with the government and enterprises, charitable organizations are more able to try and make mistakes, and try to find some innovative ways in Community Governance, elderly care services, and care for vulnerable groups.
In addition, public welfare and philanthropy can also contribute to economic development. Wang Zhenyao introduced that in some developed countries, the number of people engaged in charitable activities accounts for 10% of the total employment, and the value created by charitable activities can reach 5% of the total GDP. There is still a lot of room for development in the current public welfare charity industry. Experts studying social policies, experienced administrative workers, and social organizations engaged in public welfare charity should engage in in-depth dialogue and pay attention to some urgent social issues that need to change, rather than relying solely on donations, "said Wang Zhenyao.
Translated from "Top 100 Chinese Donations List"