Many businesses fundraise for charities on an individual, one-off basis – supporting great initiatives such as Movember (promoting men’s health), Macmillan Coffee Morning (for Macmillan Cancer Support) and Christmas Jumper Day (for Save the Children). Taking part in such activities can be great for teambuilding and boosting staff morale.
Forming a longer-term partnership with a charity can also provide a whole range of additional benefits for your business.
Define Brand Identity
Identifying and developing partnerships with charities can become a core part of your business. Groups such as Red Carnation Hotels and The Oetker Collection support a range of charities both local and international, and this forms part of their core values,
Identifying a meaningful cause to associate with can be beneficial when engaging in ongoing projects. You could consider working with a charity that has specific links with the hospitality industry, such as CleanConscience, Plan Zheroes, Room to Reward or Street Smart.
Generate additional business
A study from 2013 indicated that 82% of consumers would select a company which engaged with charities and their local community over another offering the same product or service at the same price. This number is only likely to be higher in 2019.
Business travel agencies and companies looking for corporate rates are also asking increasingly more questions concerning CSR & social responsibility in their RFP processes, and basing their business decisions upon this information – evidence of ongoing charitable support could be very valuable,
Marketing, Networking & Social Media
Supporting charities also provides great content to showcase on social media. By highlighting the great work you are engaged in, you not only improve the reputation of your brand, but further promote the cause of the charities you are involved with. Fine Cell Work and The Soap Co for example create products for sale – offering great opportunities for visual promotion both online and in-house.
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Staff Loyalty & Employee Morale
In addition to the benefits of building stronger teams and boosting staff morale, working with charities also provides opportunities for developing project management and organisational skills amongst junior staff, and can promote stronger engagement and loyalty.
83% of millennals would be more loyal to a business that enables them to contribute to solving social and environmental problems, according to a 2018 study. Supporting a charity and empowering your employees with other roles within those projects can help them feel more engaged.
Benefits your Community
Supporting smaller, local charities who operate in your area can offer great rewards, as the benefits of your contributions may carry immediate results within your local community. This can also help to promote a stronger sense of wellbeing amongst staff and guests.
