TOP 13 WAYS YOUR BUSINESS CAN GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY

Every business started for a reason. While the pursuit of profit is the key driving force for most, in recent years, a new wave of purpose-driven companies has emerged and charted an alternate path. More and more businesses are now realising the importance of giving back – and how that differentiates them from traditional businesses.

Employee donation-matching programs are an excellent way for businesses to give back. But companies today are exploring new ways to contribute to their communities, simultaneously improving employee (and customer) engagement and creating a greater impact on the lives of those they support.

There are plenty of meaningful ways to give back rather than a once-off donation or cash handouts. So how do businesses benefit from giving back to the community and how can you do the same? Here are a couple of suggestions for you to try out – some of them may even surprise you!

1. Give away some of your awesome [extra] products

If your company sells a physical good, you are bound to have extra materials and old models laying around. Don’t let them go to waste! Find a local shelter for the homeless to give away some products, or an organisation that can redistribute the goods to those in need.

Take Orion Labs as an example: the company now has their second generation of wearable communication devices on the market.

So what happened to the leftover first generation inventory? Operations guru Andrew Sherman saw an opportunity at a local homeless youth organisation where he could put the product to good use. He provided the devices, and arranged training for the non-profit’s team so that these new electronics could improve communications within the program and help it run more seamlessly.

2. Offer pro-bono services to non-profit organizations

Just like a business, each non-profit organisation has accounting, finance, marketing departments that keeps it running. And it needs a team well-equipped with skills and knowledge to run them, but often lacks funds to support skill development. This is where your business expertise could be of great help. If you run a business that specialises in any of those areas, offering pro-bono consultation is a wonderful way to engage with non-profit, support their growth so that they can work their magic on the ground.

3. Schedule an extra job on the house

If you don’t own a consumer service business, chances are there might be people in the community who would appreciate your help (yet cannot afford it).

One tiny extra job for your team could go a long way for someone without the means to hire you otherwise. GreenPal, a company that connects customers with lawn care professionals, sends their team out to mow a lawn for free every month. The team is even involved in the giving process by nominating the homes they feel are most in need of the free service.

As a bonus, you can turn this donated time into a team-building event!

4. Donate your space to a cause that could use it

Nonprofits and charities are often looking for space to use for meetings, events and fundraisers… so why not let them use your empty after-hours workspace to do so?

Chanson Water USA allows charitable organisations use their office space for events, giving back simply by not letting their space go to waste. On top of donating their unused space, they also donate their product, water ionisers, to cancer patients!

5. Add a giving to every product you sell

Inspired by the well-known one-for-one model pioneered by TOMS Shoes, this idea is both easy to implement and communicate.

Your contribution doesn't have to be a product you produce. It could be as simple as providing access to clean water for a person in Africa for every cup of coffee sold, or donating $1 to a non-profit organization that feeds the homeless in your community for every meal purchased.

This idea makes giving back a part of what you do, provides sustainable funding to organisations you support and gives you another reason to work harder every day. Explore how you can do so with B1G1 here.

6. Better yet, incorporate giving back into other activities in your business

Imagine, every time you send an email, a tree gets planted to save our planet. Or every time you complete a project for your client, a child somewhere gets to go to school. Now, everything you do has an extra layer of meaning.

Reo Group –  a recruitment agency based in Australia has committed to giving 50 days of technology education to children in remote Australian communities every time they place a candidate. They also set a broader giving goal to provide 50,000 days of education to underprivileged children by 2021. This commitment to giving back becomes the driving force behind what they do every day.

7. Turn your product into a cause-evangelizer

Adding information about a cause you care about to your product marketing toolkit is a great start, but embedding a giving function straight into your product is even greater.

Swift Passport encourages passport applicants to register as organ donors, just like how the DMV asks those who are filling out driver’s license applications to do the same. They are taking something familiar, in this case identifying as an organ donor, and using the product to move people to action.

8. Hire locally, in an underserved community

Adding information about a cause you care about to your product marketing toolkit is a great start, but embedding a giving function straight into your product is even greater.

Swift Passport encourages passport applicants to register as organ donors, just like how the DMV asks those who are filling out driver’s license applications to do the same. They are taking something familiar, in this case identifying as an organ donor, and using the product to move people to action.

9. Let your employees volunteer while on the clock

Allow your employees to take some time away from the daily grind to give back, either individually or as a team. Black N Bianco organises volunteer opportunities as team-building events, often serving meals together at a local shelter.

Alternatively, give your employees the option to volunteer for a cause of their choosing. Employees at small business, Amplify Relations, have collectively volunteered 160 hours, which has simultaneously increased and diversified the business’ giving portfolio.

10. Set aside some budgets for employees to give to causes they care about

This is a great way to encourage your employee participation. If you’re wary of the credibility of causes chosen by your employees, work with a credible third-party charity listing that already helps you do the vetting, then provide a list of a variety of causes for your employees to choose from.

11. Organize a volunteering event for your company

This is a great way to encourage your employee participation and give back to the community. If you’re wary of the credibility of causes chosen by your employees, work with a credible third-party charity listing that already helps you do the vetting, then provide a list of a variety of causes for your employees to choose from.

12. Adopt sustainable practices in your business

Giving back to the community extends beyond local borders; the entire world is our community, and we're united in facing a common challenge: climate change. There's no better time than now to start adopting sustainable practices.

Small changes can make a big difference. Consider using reusable cups and containers for takeout, and encourage customers to bring their own bags. For a more comprehensive approach, explore programs like carbon offsetting. There are countless ways to make your business more environmentally sustainable, and every step counts.

13. Select suppliers that care

All the positive efforts you make can be undermined by suppliers who don't share your socially conscious vision. It's crucial to ensure that your raw materials are produced ethically, which in turn makes your business more sustainable.

Starbucks sets an example by prioritizing the sourcing of raw materials from local suppliers who demonstrate a commitment to their communities. This caring approach permeates the entire supply chain, from the coffee beans to the customers' cups, creating a ripple effect of positive impact.

14. Celebrate special milestones with giving

Whether it’s a team member’s birthday celebration, anniversary or your business special milestone, each occasion can be extra special with giving.

Jane Burns of Lighthouse Health Group has her employees designate their cause of choice during each of their birthday months. Lighthouse then uses the B1G1 business-giving platform to contribute directly towards their employees’ selected project(s). This kind of ‘giving gift card’ could be replicated for employee (and customer) engagements, weddings and birth announcements!

How Your Business Can Make a Difference

Giving back brings greater purpose and meaning to your business, and creates better connections with your team, your customers, and most importantly, with yourself. We hope these top 13 ways have inspired you to consider how your business can make a difference. Remember, even small actions can lead to some of the biggest changes.

Interested in making giving back a part of what you do every day? Get a free tailored plan from us today!