True success, whether in business or in life, should be measured by how much you give, not how much revenue you generate. While successful business owners should most certainly be concerned with driving growth and increasing profits, the most positive impact a business can make on its community is by giving back.
Philanthropic efforts and corporate donations to charity start at the top. When CEOs and other executives prioritize donations and giving, it gives your organization a positive goal to work towards together.
Emphasizing charitable giving benefits your business in so many ways—from raising team morale to providing meaningful work on important causes. Here are three ways to boost your organization’s philanthropic efforts.
Promote the Work of Your Staff
Many of your employees and staff members may already contribute to philanthropic efforts. Whether through fun runs, charitable giving, or fundraisers.
Support and promote those members of your staff that take time out of their busy schedules to donate to others. Supporting the causes that matter to your team will help you build a true work culture and not just an office.
Match Corporate Donations and Charity Contributions
A great way to promote and emphasize charitable giving is to offer a matching program. Matching the donations of your team demonstrates that your business cares about the issues that matter to them and it also demonstrates that your business cares about them as people and not as mere employees.
Matching contributions helps create a culture of giving that will spread throughout your organization. It emphasizes teamwork and team reliance. It also feels amazing to know that staff, management, and even corporate are working together to make the world a better place.
Give as a Team
Corporate donations to charity provide many benefits for your business, perhaps the most rewarding is the sense of teamwork and community it provides. That’s why you should center your philanthropic efforts around the causes your staff already cares about.
Schedule a charitable meeting where your staff can discuss causes, events, and charities. Finding a cause, or causes, your employees can rally around and support will give them a sense of ownership that can’t be forced or created, it happens organically.
Giving as a team establishes that people and the community are truly important to your business. It provides a positive work environment that emphasizes giving back over simply making a paycheck. And finally, it solidifies work as a caring community that works toward benefiting good causes and those most in need.
Let Your Clients Join In
When you create a culture of giving that includes your staff and your clientele, you’re not just doing great things for your organization, but you’re helping to develop a reputation for your business as a positive force in your community.
Letting clients donate time, resources, or financial support reaffirms the commitment your business has to its customers and the well being of the community that supports it.
Donations to charitable causes provides some great opportunities for your business to make a lasting impact in your community. It’s also a great opportunity to reflect the values and culture of your business. By including your staff, your clients, and the things they are passionate about in your philanthropic efforts you create a bond that transcends simple business interaction and instead forms a connection of giving.
