Any good corporate social responsibility strategy delivers positive impact to the communities and causes it is aligned with, as well as positive impact to the business.

It has been well documented that companies operating with purpose beyond profit can increase their income. They have the opportunity to not only progress social change whilst making an increase in profit, they can also use their influence to drive positive community relationships and make a stand on issues they feel strongly about, all the while promoting themselves as a socially responsible brand.

When there is business value embodied in corporate community investment, these programs become integral to the strategic benefit of the organisation. And when times get tough, they do not get cut.

As BlackRock’s Larry Fink said “to prosper over time, every company must not only deliver financial performance, but also show how it makes a positive contribution to society.”

This is how CSR becomes cross-functionally viable, delivering benefit to many. Strategic leaders and team leaders are looked on to build trust and drive company values. Clients and Partners are more likely to come on board (and stay) if they see the business they are aligned with drives purpose all the way through it’s operations, starting with it’s employees and finishing either in the community it operates, or through programs that reflect its company values.

Customers crave products that are ethical and sustainable or that come from a company who is setting the standard for social impact. In fact, according to the United Nations Global Opportunity Report 2018, a huge 72% of millennials in the UK are willing to pay more for sustainable products.

So how does that translate to Fundraising at Work?

Fundraising at Work combines workplace giving with a fundraising functionality, providing a seamless technology solution, which can be monitored, evaluated and reported on.

When fundraising is facilitated through business it provides employees with a great sense of motivation and connection to the values of their workplace. And it provides business with the opportunity to grow its employee engagement and corporate social responsibility status, and therefore grow its business.

A huge 80% of employees said they have supported another work colleagues fundraising efforts in the last 12 months. Business can utilise this opportunity to connect with its employees and grow its giving.

Organisations that don’t include fundraising in their CSR strategy might be missing a huge opportunity to engage with their workforce, and promote company values and brand.

Here are three ways that Fundraising at Work can build on your CSR goals.

• Team-building

Fundraising at Work provides leaders and team managers with an opportunity to actively demonstrate their commitment to corporate social responsibility, charitable causes and organisational values.

It provides employees with the chance to do something purposeful and impactful – something the millennial workforce is craving –  and creates the opportunity for them to raise awareness about the causes close to their hearts and learn more about their colleagues.

Businesses have the opportunity to set up team pages driven by a team leader. This enables leadership to join with employees to partake in fundraising activities, driving donations, and nurturing and building on work relationships.

• Commitment-building

Fundraising at Work gives businesses the opportunity to match donations, enabling employees to have the opportunity to double their impact. It’s a meaningful employee benefit that demonstrates a business’ commitment to their staff’s diverse and personal choice of cause.

It also demonstrates a commitment from business to support their employees and what drives them, making them feel appreciated and valued. This is particularly important if an employee has a personal connection or first-hand experience with a specific cause or charity.

• Reputation-building

Successful fundraising efforts facilitated by business helps create a brand reputation of a socially conscious company. And reputation is key to attracting loyal customers, partners and clients who want to know that their chosen company is driving purpose.

Successful fundraising also assists in building a company profile within the industry where the company sits – competition is no bad thing when it comes to rallying together for a good cause. See where your industry is at with giving using our Workplace Giving Industry Evaluation tool here.

The Future of Fundraising

Fundraising is now no longer a ‘lone soldier’ way of raising funds for charity. It has a position within the workplace, where colleagues, teams, offices and companies can come together to make a positive social impact on the community, and on each other. This positioning forms a path for business to further its purpose and connection to its employees, whilst making even more of an impact through its philanthropic activities.

If you are interested in hearing more about Fundraising at Work, or would like a demo of our platform please fill out our contact form here.