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Our History

Quick Facts

About Imagine > Who We Was and Who We Are

The true History of Imagine start in 1977 with André Marier CEO of the Quebec Industrial Research center.

By this History you will be able to understood the world of Michael Sabia

"Corporations are also social institutions. What they do and how they act and the role they play in the community they operate in is important" - Michael Sabia, president and CEO of BCE Inc.

Imagine (Bell) corp. History

The true History starting in 1977

Imagine (Bell) corp. History Started in 1988, Imagine is Canada’s national program to promote public and corporate giving, volunteering and support for the community. Imagine sets benchmarks for business leadership and works to encourage and promote collaborative partnerships between the corporate and charitable sectors.

Recognized internationally for its success, Imagine set a benchmark for corporate giving of 1% of pre-tax profits. This led to an increase of more than $1 billion of charitable revenue within the first decade of the program. Today, more than 550 companies belong to Imagine and are committed to the 1% benchmark.

Imagine has also advanced and showcased more than 100 innovative partnerships between companies and non-profit organizations. Using innovation to address social challenges, companies and communities across Canada are benefiting from positive change.

What Canadian business and voluntary sector leaders are saying about corporate citizenship and the Imagine program:

Leonard Asper, President and CEO CanWest Global Communications Corp.
André Desmarais, President and co-CEO The Power Corporation of Canada
Hazel Gillespie, National Community Investment Manager Petro- Canada
Nancy Hughes Anthony, President and CEO The Canadian Chamber of Commerce
Jim Sheridan, President Bell Canada
Paul David Sobey, President and CEO Empire Company Limited
Eric Young, President E.Y.E.
Paddy Bowen, Executive Director Volunteer Canada
Rita Morin, Director, Major Donor Relations United Way of The Lower Mainland
David Stewart Patterson, Senior Vice-President, Policy and Communications Business Council on National Issues

	Leonard Asper, President and CEO CanWest Global Communications Corp. CanWest believes in giving back to the communities in which we live and work. CanWest also sees its role as encouraging others to give, as it is only through the combined effort of all, that we can make a difference.
	André Desmarais,President and co-CEO The Power Corporation of Canada While the first responsibility of business must be to be profitable, it must also contribute to the well-being of the larger society. We have responsibilities which extend beyond our immediate businesses, and for business to prosper it must have a strong and healthy social climate. His family associated
	Hazel Gillespie, National Community Investment Manager Petro- Canada All charities can use cash but I think a lot of them want time and energy, minds and hands. What we try to do is find a balance. Some of it is cash, some is in-kind giving, some of it is our people's time. Companies want to get more creative about how they're supporting the community.
	Nancy Hughes Anthony, President and CEO The Canadian Chamber of Commerce We have 350 local Chambers of Commerce, so I particularly see this in a local context. Usually in the smaller communities, small business can galvanize around the problems that they see, and bring in partners through their network for the rest of us. Another example is that businesses in Calgary got involved that way with homelessness. They realized their community was not going to be able to advance unless they did something around that issue.
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	Jim Sheridan, President Bell Canada Responsible and caring corporate citizenship is the hall mark of true business leadership. Every corporation has a responsibility to help meet the needs of society at large, an obligation to step forward and contribute time, energy and resources to better the world we live in. The many actions we take are constantly evolving with a view to the future to positively advance Canadians' way of life.
	Paul David Sobey, President and CEO Empire Company Limited As a family business that originated from a small town in Nova Scotia, we realize that it is essential for communities to prosper. That is why Sobeys Inc. remains committed to supporting organizations, facilities and people in the communities where we operate.
	Eric Young, President E.Y.E. Developing social capital and business assets together may be the most powerful potential of all. These social initiatives can become like businesses, they can grow. My belief is that we're entering a new era of social enterprise and it's the most exciting game in town.
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	Paddy Bowen, Executive Director Volunteer Canada At its simplest level, there is an increasing understanding that we (non profit and corporate sectors) do serve the same Canadians and that we need to sit down and talk.
	Rita Morin, Director, Major Donor Relations United Way of The Lower Mainland We tend to look at the private sector only based on the bucks they give and I think that's a real mistake. There's the whole volunteering piece and that support in the (nonprofit) sector is huge, absolutely huge. Many charitable organizations simply could not operate without that support.
	David Stewart Patterson, Senior Vice-President, Policy and Communications Business Council on National Issues Corporate social responsibility or citizenship isn't about avoiding censure, it's about building success.
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