Corporate philanthropy: how to give and who to involve

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Corporate philanthropy doesn't have to be challenging. Here we lay out some great ways to give back financially — all while engaging multiple stakeholders.

What is corporate giving? 

Corporate giving is a type of philanthropy where corporations give to nonprofit causes. In recent years, we’ve seen an increasing social demand for corporations to ‘give back’. At the same time, the pressure to maximize short and long term profits has been increasing, leaving corporations with the challenge of balancing these two seemingly opposing demands. Philanthropy, no matter how well-intended, has to become strategic to demonstrate economic worth. 

This might sound like an impossible task — but it’s not. Working with a nonprofit is beneficial. All that’s left is to figure out what methods work best for your company. 

Giving back financially

Although giving back financially can feel like a cop-out; it is actually one of the most effective — and easy — ways to truly help a nonprofit, who spend many precious resources seeking donations. Receiving regular donations is a great relief, as it helps them to focus on their projects and programs. 

The true challenge lies in finding the right nonprofit: one that suits your company's goals and mission. Are you in fintech? Then find a nonprofit that teaches financial literacy. Are you a large corporation with hundreds or thousands of employees? Invest in a nonprofit that works to promote diversity and inclusion. Not only will you help the nonprofit, but your team will gain new skills through collaboration.

Photo by Lexy Lammerink

Multiple ways to give, multiple stakeholders engaged

1. Straightforward donations: helping charities

Again, this might seem ‘too easy’, but it can be incredibly effective. Once you have found a nonprofit that matches your goals, you can figure out how much of a contribution you can make. And the key is to donate regularly. It's an incredible relief for a nonprofit to receive regular funds.

2. Power to the people: engaging your employees

Another simple way to give back is to harness people power— namely, your employees. Rather than making decisions for them, let your employees decide who they want to give to. The best way to do this is to provide a charity stipend that people and teams can spend on a nonprofit of their choice. 

This has two benefits. Firstly, the employee feels the gratification of giving back, without involving their personal finances. Secondly, it’s more effective. Donations through Kinder are distributed to different causes — funding solutions to several problems at once. 

 To take donating to the next level, add a matching option. This means that you, as a corporate, match each employee donation. Double gratification for the employee and double benefits for the nonprofit.

3. Involving your audience: engaging clients

If you are a company that sells products, there are a couple ways to give back financially — while engaging clients at the same time. 

The first is to donate a percentage of your revenue. This will improve both your brand image and revenue, while boosting much needed funds for charities. 

The second is to use a matching option. In this option, buyers are given the option to donate when making a purchase. You then match every donation made at purchase. Giving your clients a couple of options to donate to makes this even more appealing to donors. 

Financial donations are truly the best way to make an effective contribution.

Photo by Adomas Aleno

Make it more effective

How? By making sure you are donating to nonprofits striving for the greatest impact. That’s where Kinder comes in. We can help you not only find a nonprofit, but one that has a track record of effectiveness. 

Our collaboration packages and team will help you give strategically, so you can find avenues towards maximum impact. Our United Actions, for example, you can help provide a holistic approach to solving global issues. 

Want to start your corporate giving journey? Get in touch

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