We are coming to the end of an active hurricane season that left millions of people without the basic necessities of shelter, food, and water. During this time of hardship, we saw many individuals, non-profits, and corporations give to help fulfill immediate needs. Our local preschool encouraged its families to donate to a church in Puerto Rico where today one million Americans are without running water and three million are without power. The request for donations was a natural one as our preschool focuses on raising charitable children. With corporations who provided much needed support, were these donations a “one and done” exercise or are they tied to their higher purpose, their mission, and values?
Connect Community Needs with Company Purpose
I believe that it’s time for corporations to rethink how they give back on a regular basis, not just in a time of crisis. Developing a holistic social impact program that is aligned with your company’s purpose can re-invigorate a disengaged workforce, ignite stronger customer loyalty, and make a real difference in the world. Here are a few tips to help you reinvigorate – or perhaps – initiate a meaningful social impact program that stands the test of time and focuses on the long-term needs of a community or social issue. Seek to move the need and make a true, quantifiable impact.
1. Connect your giveback or volunteer efforts to your company’s higher purpose. For example, if your company’s philanthropic mission is to support education, then your volunteer efforts should support this. In the case of Hurricane Harvey, perhaps instead of a cell phone provider waiving fees, the company adopts a school that is in need of supplies or books.
2. Partner with a local charitable organization or cause that supports this purpose. Continuing with the above example, consider joining up with local charities that are helping to rebuild schools.
3. Communicate your efforts not for brownie points, but rather to inspire others to follow suit. Elevate the message by including your non-profit’s impact as well. This is a joint effort where both organizations win with clear and inspiring messaging.
4. Evaluate the relationship and your social impact program on a regular basis to ensure it resonates with employees, vendors, partners and most importantly, customers.
At OnPurpose PR, we work closely with organizations that want to develop meaningful giveback programs that flow seamlessly from their mission and values, inspire employees, and ultimately, make a real difference in the world. Contact us today to learn more.