Corporate social impact expert Chad Haertling offers advice for purpose-driven leaders.
Introduction
In today’s rapidly evolving corporate landscape, giving back to the community has become more than just a philanthropic gesture—it's a strategic imperative for businesses looking to thrive in an increasingly socially conscious world.
As expectations for corporate social responsibility continue to rise, companies must adapt their giving and volunteering programs to meet the changing needs and preferences of employees and stakeholders alike.
Whether you're a Fortune 500 corporation or a small business, here are five must-do's to ensure the success of your giving and volunteering program:
1. Embrace Diversity and Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion are more than just buzzwords—they will be fundamental principles that shape corporate culture and drive social impact initiatives. To ensure the success of your giving and volunteering program, it's essential to prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) at every level of your organization. This means not only ensuring representation within your workforce but also actively seeking out diverse perspectives and voices in your philanthropic efforts.
Consider partnering with organizations that focus on supporting underrepresented communities and engaging employees from all backgrounds in your volunteering activities. By fostering an inclusive environment, you can maximize the impact of your social impact initiatives and create meaningful change in the world.
2. Cultivate a Culture of Giving and Volunteering
Building a culture of giving within your organization is essential for the long-term success of your giving and volunteering program. Encourage employees to get involved in philanthropic activities by providing opportunities for volunteerism, donation matching, and employee resource group (ERG) participation. Then, recognize and celebrate employees who make a difference in their communities, and highlight the impact of their efforts through internal communication channels.
By fostering a culture of giving, you can instill a sense of purpose and belonging within your workforce while making a positive impact on society.
3. Prioritize Employee Engagement and Feedback
Employee engagement is key to the success of any giving and volunteering program. To ensure that your initiatives resonate with your workforce, it's essential to prioritize employee feedback and participation at every stage of the process. Solicit input from employees on the types of causes they care about, the volunteer opportunities they'd like to participate in, and the impact they'd like to see from their contributions.
When you use this feedback to tailor your giving and volunteering programs to meet the needs and preferences of your workforce, you will drive greater engagement and satisfaction in the process.
4. Leverage Technology for Greater Impact
In an increasingly digital world, technology plays a crucial role in facilitating giving and volunteering programs. To maximize the impact of your initiatives, it's essential to leverage technology to streamline processes, engage employees, and measure outcomes effectively.
Consider investing in a robust social impact platform like Deed, which offers features such as employee giving portals, volunteer management tools, and real-time impact tracking. By harnessing the power of technology, you can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of your giving and volunteering programs, driving greater social change and employee engagement in the process.
5. Measure and Communicate Impact
Finally, it's crucial to measure and communicate the impact of your giving and volunteering programs to stakeholders both internally and externally. Use data and analytics to track key metrics such as employee participation rates, volunteer hours, and funds raised for charitable causes. Share these insights with employees, leadership, and external stakeholders to demonstrate the tangible impact of your social impact initiatives. Highlight success stories, showcase the organizations and causes supported by your programs, and celebrate the collective impact of your workforce.
By measuring and communicating impact effectively, you can inspire greater participation, build trust with stakeholders, and drive continued support for your giving and volunteering programs.
Final thoughts
As you think of new ways to elevate your giving and volunteering programs and make a meaningful difference in the world, remember that even this list of "must-do's" can only help you form a basis for the most important thing: community.
By embracing diversity and inclusion, leveraging technology, cultivating a culture of giving, prioritizing employee engagement and feedback, and measuring and communicating impact, companies can maximize the effectiveness of their social impact initiatives and drive positive change in society.
With the right strategies and tools in place, companies can position themselves as leaders in corporate social responsibility and create a better future for all. Deed is an enterprise social impact platform that makes it fun and easy for millions of employees to share their time, money, and talent with causes they care about. We started as a viral volunteering app, and today our platform gives the world’s most inspiring brands—from Airbnb to lululemon—one exceptionally-designed home for all of their purpose-driven activities.
Corporate grantmaking, employee donations/matching, diversity & inclusion, and employee resource groups (ERGs) are only the beginning. Because over the past three to five years, everyone’s expectations for Fortune 500 corporate social responsibility have radically changed. But with our trusted integration partners like Workday and PayPal, hand-in-hand customer service, and a collaborative product team, Deed’s platform moves at the speed of work.
Ready to jumpstart your workplace giving and volunteering? Book a demo now.
