Ronald McDonald House Charities

Sunday 5 June 2011, by Anda Ciprusa, Karin Hultin, Maria Esteban, Tuuli Karppinen

24 inspired

We chose this company because their actions seem good and kind to us. We believe it is ethical because the concept of their actions aims at helping those in need. We see their approach as progressive and different. Additionally, we like that Ronald McDonalds House Charities and McDonald?s have found a way to sustainably co-operate and raise the funds for the charity.

a) The main facts about the activities of the company.

Ronald McDonald House Charities is, as stated before, a non-profit organization; meaning its work is only feasible because of the donors. The main objective of this charity foundation is to provide families stability and resources so they can keep their child healthy and happy; these problems may involve how to stay near and support a hospitalized child, how to afford staying together in another city while a child is undergoing treatment, or even getting basic medical and dental care in a vulnerable community.
It is formed of 290 local Chapters in 52 countries and regions there are 306 Ronald McDonald Houses , 167 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms,43 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles ,Grants to non-profit organizations that also focus on the needs of children, Scholarships to students across the United States , and finally there are Chapters around the world creating country-specific programs.

b) The ethical challenges this company is addressing.

The ethical challenge the company is addressing is how to meet all the children?s demand. The company must continue to strive for sustainability and expand even more in order to help more children. They should search for more investment in the company so they can reduce the cost for the patient and also help those children who cannot afford it today. We want to see that the organization can achieve more children?s dreams. They take ethical responsibility through their actions through charity. If they also take care about the environment the organization are in, for instance use organic food, organic cotton and use friendly environmental products, it will lead to even more ethical responsibility.

c) What makes you believe this company is really ethical and why you trust it.

We believe the organization is very ethical because of their charity of helping children and their family?s all around the world. The funds vision is to make life easier for seriously ill children and their families in connection with treatments or visit to the country?s hospitals. We trust the company because of all their good activities and nonprofit workforce. Many children come early into contact with the "clown" Ronald McDonald and he is associated as a good and funny friend and children trust him. We think that makes sense when children are ill and by getting the chance to stay in Ronald Mc Donald?s house it will make the situation a little bit better. Related to our childhood, the image of Ronald McDonald is friendly and people like it.

d) The possible challenges facing the company in the future and how you think this company may improve.

According to the ethical challenges proposed before, one of the most possible challenge that the company may face in the future is meeting the demand of children?s needs; as the proportion of families that need this type of aid most likely increases over the years.
As a consequence, Ronald McDonalds House Charities must find the sustainability to continue the excellent labour it has been doing over the past years; but being careful as they have to keep the good image.
Our proposal for RMHC to improve its services would be to try to find other sources of investment with other big companies not just McDonalds, so to say - diversify its risk. Additionally, they could find ways to promote the scholarships to all the countries, not just USA.

Bibliography

http://rmhc.org
http://Wikipedia.org
http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Location: Philadelphia (United States of America)

Sector: charity & health care

Official website: http://rmhc.org

Key figures:

RMHC is an independent organization, which establishes support programs that aim at helping ill children, as well as keeping children wealthy. RMHC relies on donors, volunteers, staff and friends. It is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, but McDonald’s is their largest corporate donor.
It has three core programs: Ronald McDonald House, Ronald McDonald Family Room and Ronald McDonald Care Mobile. RMHC also supports the family while kid is getting treatment. The idea behind that is to ease the healing process for children since they cope better and heal faster if their family is around. Thus, RMHC provides Ronald McDonald Family Room which is well equipped and gives sort of home feeling, so that family can stay close to the kid and for a moment forget that they are in a hospital. Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is a vehicle that basically functions as mobile hospital ? it has examination room, laboratory, reception and medical record areas. The Ronald McDonald Care Mobile services may include different diagnostics depending on the community?s need. Apart from that, RMHC also keeps in touch with medical community and organizations that have the knowledge and infrastructure to extend RMHC?s reach.
Additionally, RMHC also provides educational aid to students-to-be in need. Through its network of U.S. Chapters and RMHC Global, RMHC offers scholarships to students who have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and community involvement. Since 1985, 40 million dollars have been awarded as scholarships. At the moment, the scholarships are only being awarded to U.S. citizens.

Key Figures:
President and CEO: Martin J. Coyne, Jr. He also serves as a board member of America?s Charities.

Countries of operations: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Finland, France, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, USA, United Kingdom, Venezuela.

Turnover: about 5m ? (2010)

Nbr. visits: 631

Nbr. inspires: 24