It's capitalism with a conscience. Nordstrom recently opened a test store where all profits go to charity. Starbucks has three coffee shops where a big chunk of the money made helps the needy.

For decades, this kind of corporate kindness was the exception, but in the past few years, dozens of America's biggest brands have embraced social generosity as an unusually effective way to sell themselves to consumers, employees, even stockholders.

(READ the story in USA Today)