Building a Culture of Impact: How Social Good Strengthens Company Culture

Part 1 of Deed’s Culture in Action: Building a Purpose-Driven Workforce Series

Today's workforce demands more than competitive salaries and benefits—they want to work for companies that align with their values and make a meaningful difference in the world. As organizations compete for top talent, those building cultures rooted in purpose, social impact, and shared values are winning the race for engagement, retention, and performance.

Deed’s latest blog series -  Culture in Action: Building a Purpose-Driven Workforce - explores how forward-thinking companies are transforming their workplace cultures by integrating social good and ESG initiatives into the fabric of their organizations. From practical implementation strategies to actionable frameworks, discover how to build a purpose-driven workforce that drives both employee satisfaction and business results. Learn how to move beyond surface-level perks to create lasting cultural change that attracts talent, strengthens teams, and positions your company as a leader in the future of work.

Introduction: Culture Is More Than Perks

Company culture used to be defined by ping-pong tables, snacks, and casual Fridays. Today, culture means something deeper: a shared sense of purpose, belonging, and positive impact.

Employees want to work for companies that reflect their values—and that includes making a difference in the world. In this post, we explore how building a culture of impact is becoming a must-have for companies that want to attract talent, boost retention, and drive business performance.

Why a Culture of Impact Matters

Culture isn't just a vibe—it's a business strategy. And a culture rooted in social good helps companies:

• Increase employee engagement and retention: 68% of HR professionals recognize the positive influence of employee recognition on retaining valuable talent (VantageCircle). Additionally, organizations with employees that are highly engaged outperform competitors by 147% (VolunteerHub).
• Foster stronger collaboration and inclusion: Corporate volunteering programs create meaningful connections across departments and hierarchies, breaking down silos and fostering cross-functional relationships that strengthen overall team dynamics.
• Strengthen their employer brand: Roughly nine in 10 Gen Zs (89%) and millennials (92%) consider a sense of purpose to be important to their job satisfaction and well-being (Deloitte Global Gen Z and Millennial Survey 2025). 
• Attract purpose-driven talent: 81% of HR executives said skilled volunteering was considered in the hiring process, and 76% said it makes a job candidate more desirable (VolunteerHub).

Drive measurable business impact: Companies with highly engaged employees see 23% higher profitability and 18% higher productivity (Gallup), while purpose-driven initiatives directly contribute to employee engagement and retention.

Five Key Traits of a Culture of Impact

How to Build a Culture of Impact

1. Start with Leadership Buy-In
   • Culture begins at the top. Make social impact part of executive KPIs.
2. Activate Employee Voice
   • Let employees choose causes, create events, and share stories.
3. Make It Easy and Integrated
   • Use tools like Deed to make impact opportunities visible and accessible, especially by using Slack and Microsoft Teams integrations to meet employees where they are already working.
4. Tie Impact to Identity
   • Celebrate volunteering, giving, and community impact as part of your brand.
5. Track, Share, Repeat
   • Measure participation and outcomes. Share progress and learnings with leadership and company-wide to fuel continuous engagement.
     
     

How Deed Helps Companies Build a Purpose-Driven Culture

Deed enables companies to:

• Launch branded, fundraising and volunteer campaigns
• Connect volunteering and giving to ERGs, teams, and global moments 
• Visualize real-time data and stories to drive awareness and accountability
• Foster a consistent, mission-aligned culture across departments and geographies
  
  

Culture Is Built Through Action

You can’t mandate culture. But you can cultivate it—through the shared experiences of doing good together.

A culture of impact unites employees, inspires performance, and builds lasting loyalty.

Ready to make purpose part of your culture? Partner with Deed.