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More than 80% of employees believe their company should provide opportunities to engage in the community, according to a recent American Charities employer research study.
How can a business provide these opportunities to satisfy their employees’ desire to give back, and what type of impact will it have on the company, the employees and the community as a whole?
There are thousands of nonprofit organizations in Arizona, creating an abundance of options for companies looking to get more involved in their community. The challenge is how to indefinity which organizations to support.
The first step is for business leaders to assess their business’s core values, consider stakeholders, conduct a risk assessment and determine the type of impact they want to make.
By establishing the material issues first, a business can prioritize social issues and has a greater chance of making an impact. Aligning business goals with community needs will not only provide charitability to marginalized individuals, but act as an investment that helps business and stakeholders succeed.
The next step is to vet the community partner to ensure it is a trusted organization with transparent benchmarks and measurements. Websites like Charity Navigator, Charity Watch and Give Well may help verify if a nonprofit is using proven, effective methodologies.
Finally, the most important step is to cultivate a relationship with whichever organization is selected. Some options are to volunteer often, join the board, establish company-wide philanthropic groups and dedicate time to supporting the nonprofit. Not only will the partnership make an impact on the community, but it will help business leaders gain a deeper understanding of the issues the community is facing and working to solve.
One of the greatest benefits of participating in corporate giving is employee engagement, recruitment and retention efforts. According to a study by The Lewis Institute for Social Innovation at Babson College, corporate philanthropy can increase employee productivity by 13% and reduce turnover rates by up to 50%.
Working with a nonprofit that aligns with the company’s mission allows for employees to connect to the company goals through tangible experiences. It also provides opportunities for employees to bond with one another outside of the work environment and meet other like-minded individuals through volunteerism.
With company leaders driving corporate philanthropy and providing opportunities for employees to get involved, it leads employees down a simpler path to charitability.
Participating in a fundraising campaign or spending the day volunteering allows employees to gain a sense of accomplishment, bond with fellow co-workers, feel a greater sense of company culture and stand behind the company’s values.
After participating in a campaign, fundraiser or company-wide volunteer activity, how can business leaders know it actually made an impact? They can quantify the results based on donations collected, funds raised or how many volunteers participated.
However, it is important businesses know they are creating a lasting, broad change in the community beyond individual initiatives.
Organizations like Valley of the Sun United Way are great resources to ensure there is community-wide change by bringing together stakeholders, community members, local businesses and nonprofit agencies to tackle the challenges facing the community today.
For example, Valley of the Sun United Way effort recently engaged Maricopa County students, teachers, families, stakeholders, local companies and nonprofit partners to reduce the rates of chronic absenteeism within schools. Through these partnerships, a strategic plan was developed to supplement trainings and cultivate a peer-learning network and community task force that focuses on ensuring absenteeism rates decline two percentage points each year.
Taking part in this ecosystem requires relationship building, dedication and effort. When done effectively, a business can voice its concerns, make an impact, increase visibility and bond with the community.
Whether it is big or small, all philanthropic efforts positively affect the community. Metro Phoenix faces tough issues daily, such as housing shortages and homelessness, educational delays, workforce development, and health concerns. When a company takes the step toward building a relationship with nonprofit partners, getting employees involved and providing positive experiences, it not only helps grow its business, but it creates lasting relationships that make an impact in the community.
Emma Garcia is the chief community development and engagement officer at Valley of the Sun United Way.Valley of the Sun United Way envisions a community where every child, family and individual is healthy; has a safe place to live; and has every opportunity to succeed in school, in life and in work. As VSUW works with its community, corporate and nonprofit partners to implement its five-year plan for Mighty Change by 2026, it will put all its efforts toward reaching bold goals for Maricopa County in health, housing and homelessness, education and workforce development.
