onPhilanthropy - Robin Hood in a Pin-Striped Suit?

onPhilanthropy - Robin Hood in a Pin-Striped Suit?: "Robin Hood in a Pin-Striped Suit?
By: Carolyn Cavicchio, 02/25/05
In the wake of the tsunami that struck Southeast Asia in late December, a different kind of storm has blown up in Australia. It is a heated debate over corporate giving, and whether the tsunami-related giving of Australian companies actually violates the laws governing corporate behavior Down Under.

Although Australian law does not specifically define or control how companies should make charitable contributions in that country, there are specific corporate laws that require corporate leaders to make decisions in the best financial interests of the company�s shareholders. These laws have been interpreted by some � including the Australian Shareholders Association � as ruling out purely altruistic corporate giving. Instead, these critics argue, any charitable contributions made by Australian companies "