Though Giving Tuesday began very recently (in 2011) as a reminder for consumers to consider donating to charity after they had finished their Cyber Monday shopping, it has quickly become a tradition. As December 1 marks the 9th anniversary of the event, we thought it would be a good time to look at those publicly traded brands that give back to their communities. While by no means a complete list (most of the Fortune 500s have a non-profit or philanthropic arm), here are some corporations who are doing some good things.

salesforce.com, inc. (Tii:CRM)

Software company salesforce.com decided to become involved in philanthropy from its founding back in 1999, pledging to give 1% of its product, profit, equity, and employee time to charities. The company has done just that with its Salesforce Foundation. This foundation provides millions of dollars and grants to K-12 education programs, workforce education, disaster relief and other worthy causes.

Ben & Jerry’s - The Unilever Group (Tii:UL)

When it comes to ice cream, one of the most popular brands is Ben & Jerry’s. While this ice cream company has been dishing out incredible flavors such as “Netflix & Chill” and “Half-Baked Froyo,” the company has also been giving to various community programs. A Unilever Brand, the Ben & Jerry’s Foundation created a Vermont Community Action Team that enables employees to support their favorite causes. The company also supports social services organizations, community programs, recreational programs, and arts and cultural programs.

Booking Holdings Inc. (Tii:BKNG)

While travel, airline and booking companies have been hit hard this year due to the pandemic, some of them have not stopped giving back to their communities in meaningful ways. Booking.com, part of Booking Holdings Inc. (which also owns Priceline.com, Agoda.com, Kayak.com, Cheapflights, Rentalcars.com, Momondo, and OpenTable), has started an initiative called Booking Cares Fund. The online travel agency seeks out non-profit sustainable travel projects to minimize tourism’s negative impact on the environment. The Booking Cares Fund provides donations to projects, research institutions, universities, and governments to protect national resources, preserve local cultures, and strengthen local communities worldwide.

CarMax, Inc. (Tii:KMX)

Recognized by Forbes as one of the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For, CarMax has been on consumers’ radars as the go-to site to buy new and used cars. The company model, which features a complete history of each vehicle, has resulted in a 3.9% increase in total used vehicle unit sales and an 8.5% rise in total gross profit for its second quarter ended August 31, 2020. Yet it is not all about car buying with this company. CarMax also helps to improve communities through its CarMax Foundation, which allows employees to contribute to charitable foundations and projects with a company dollar-matching system.

Mastercard Inc. (Tii:MA)

Mastercard has placed itself at the forefront of the payment processing services market. Although the pandemic has resulted in a 14% decline in net revenue for its third quarter ended September 30, the company is still giving to communities. Through the Mastercard Foundation, the company brings together donors, charities, and people to support programs that tackle world poverty, overcome infrastructure challenges, and help the environment.

These companies are among many others that commit the time and effort to give back throughout the year. If in a position to do so, please be sure to check with your local non-profit organizations to see how you can help, as many of them have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. You may find a program that you would like to be involved with so you can be a part of Giving Tuesday throughout the year.