Mixing Philanthropy and Business Beyond the Checkbook
The significance of philanthropy in today’s business environment
Philanthropy, social responsibility, charity, and giving back are becoming a large part of businesses. As the world works towards sustainable technology, sustainable cities, and sustainable life, giving back is becoming more important when consumers consider choosing a company’s services and products. Consumers are looking for businesses to go the extra mile; to give a portion of their proceeds to a charity, or partner with a non-profit.
Today, social responsibility is not just encouraged, it is expected. A business looking to engage people in an innovative way should follow these steps to become a company that stands out to consumers concerned about their surroundings and social responsibility:
Start local:
Look into the neighboring communities of your business and find a local need or concern where your company could lend a helping hand. Help employees become aware of these issues and offer resources in which they can: begin serving one weekend a month at a local soup kitchen, rebuild homes destroyed by a natural disaster, or help organize a food drive within the office for a nearby food shelf.
If a nearby town or city is working to raise money for wind or solar energy technology, and there is opportunity to donate, help foot some of the bill. Every community has needs and concerns, and your company can easily become well known and well respected by simply lending a hand to help your neighbors.
Make it relevant:
If your business is a marketing firm, reach out to smaller non-profits, shelters, soup kitchens, or schools and volunteer to help with their marketing. Create advertisements, websites, social media accounts and campaigns for those groups who otherwise may not have the resources available.
If the special focus of your business is sports or medicine, work with local schools to improve their gym classes or after school sports and activity opportunities.
As a tech company, there is opportunity to host workshops for adults seeking to learn more about the complicated new-age technological world.
The community around you may have a need, your company has a niche, and finding a point where both of them intersect will serve both parties in many ways.
Stay engaged:
For a larger company looking to give back on a regular basis, partnering with one or more specific non-profits will be the best option. Sites like Reelcause.com, where non-profits can engage their followers and supporters through competitions, campaigns, and advertisements—all while raising money for their cause—are a great way to get started.
Reelcause can not only show you non-profits looking for corporate partners, but also help you support your own non-profit or cause through creating your own corporate page. As a for-profit company, all you need to do is donate at least 5% of your money raised through your channel on the Reelcause website to a designated non-profit or charity of your choice.
Make it count:
Above all, make your social responsibility programs count. Do not let giving back become all about your company’s public image; make it a part of your company’s mission. Employees should become aware that the work they do for the cause is equally as important as their daily work. This makes the connection between business and philanthropy less forced, and people will perceive your company as genuinely involved. Focusing too much on the benefits to the company’s public image will deter from the real opportunities at hand.
Philanthropy can change your company for the better—being socially conscious and sustainable as a business can help you to attain further respect and credibility in your field.
Danielle Berman Managing Director The Brewer Group