English

Verb

do well by doing good

1. (idiomatic) To achieve social acceptance or financial success as a result of behaving in a benevolent or charitable manner.
   • 1960, Albert D. Van Nostrand, The Denatured Novel, Vol. 3, Bobbs-Merrill, p. 170:

     The sanctioning doctrine of Good Works has been at hand every since Benjamin Franklin canonized the Arminian Heresy. So Cash McCall, like his patron saint, does well by doing good.

   • 1988, John Greenwald at al., "Japan From Superrich To Superpower," Time, 4 July:

     Of course, like most aid donors, Japan does well by doing good.

   • 2006, Matthew Bishop, "View from Davos: Bono marketing his red badge of virtue," telegraph.co.uk, 27 Jan (retrieved 21 Jan 2010):

     He wants companies selling Red products to make a profit by helping the poor—doing well by doing good.