The TD Bank Group (TD) supports several initiatives to encourage literacy and reading in Canada. TD believes that literacy is a key skill for the future. In 2000, TD established the Grade One Book Giveaway program after consulting ministries of education, school boards, and library organizations. The program is organized by the Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC), a not-for-profit organization dedicated "to the encouraging, promoting and supporting reading, writing and illustrating of Canadian books for young readers". CCBC focuses on books published in Canada and it is committed "to raising awareness and the quality and variety of Canadian books for young readers".

The program is the largest free-book program to school aged children in Canada. About 500,000 Grade I English and French students receive the book compliments of TD. They can keep the book and take it home to read with their parents and caregivers. The book distribution is supported by an author/illustrator reading tour across Canada. The books' printing and distribution costs are paid for by the bank and their logo appears on the front cover. Inside there

is short letter from TD's CEO.

There has been some opposition to the program. In 2013, some school boards claimed that the books are corporate advertising and should not be distributed in the classroom. The boards claimed that it forces students to be exposed to advertising. As a result, the free book was not distributed in the classrooms that year but was made available at local public libraries in the area.

Defenders of the program state that the book has nothing to do with banking. Many Grade 1 students do not even know the letters T and D and the logo means nothing. The defenders suggest that the school boards have lost sight of their mission, that is, literacy. They state that there are all kinds of issues in the educational system, and this is not one worthy of discussion.

Questions:

1. Will the program promote a love of reading and a passion for books?

2. In whose best interests are the books being distributed?

3. Is TD being purely altruistic?

4. Are there other corporate programs there this issue exists?

5. As a manager and a leader, how would you have handled this program?