do well by doing good

The origin is unknown; in use since the late 19th century. Sometimes attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

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do well by doing good (third-person singular simple present does well by doing good, present participle doing well by doing good, simple past did well by doing good, past participle done 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, volume 3, Bobbs-Merrill, page 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 January 27, Matthew Bishop, “View from Davos: Bono marketing his red badge of virtue”, in telegraph.co.uk, retrieved 21 January 2010:

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