6 Reasons Why Your Business Should Support A Charity

Is your business considering ways in which it can develop a charitable link with a local non-profit, whether that is to deliver a full-blown corporate sustainability programme or to offer ad-hoc fundraising at certain times of the year? This may seem like a lot of time and effort - so what are the benefits of supporting a charity to the business itself?

Corporate Identity

Customers want to support businesses which deliver more than just products and good ads. If you can demonstrate that you offer community support or broader societal gains alongside your business proposition, it demonstrates that your brand stands for good ethics, strong principles, 'giving back' and trust. It can help to differentiate you from the competition too by boosting your brand image and also by helping you to recruit excellent talent. Remember that Millennials, in particular, are keen to work for businesses with a strong ethical stance.

Enhanced PR

By sharing the stories of good work that you do with your charity partner, you can increase your PR with newsworthy content that engages both existing customers and prospects. Post blogs about your charitable projects and news stories on your website about fundraising initiatives. Invite a local newspaper to photograph a joint team-working initiative for a community project. Media outlets are keen on newsworthy content, and your charitable support will demonstrate your commitment to good business. You could also find yourself eligible for local and national CSR awards by highlighting your work in this field.

Morale

Many employees are keen to get involved in charities but find that their lives are too busy to volunteer. So by taking part in a work-sponsored scheme, they can feel as though they are doing good and participating in meaningful work that gives back without needing to take time away from their hectic home lives and family schedules. Corporate fundraising events can also be great morale boosters, and teambuilding events on charitable projects help to motivate - without any need to attend costly away days at training centres.

Retention

Employees who are supported in giving time through volunteering with a charitable partner or fundraising initiatives naturally feel proud of their efforts and proud of their organisation. This means that they are more likely to stay with your business thanks to its philanthropic stance. Greater loyalty tends to translate into higher productivity, and retention of talent will build your internal knowledge and skills base whilst minimising your recruitment costs.

Networking

When you get involved with a charity as a business, you gain access to a new and interesting network with complementary skills, experience and contacts for you to benefit from. The exchange can be a mutually beneficial one, in fact, and throw up new opportunities for projects or joint-working.

Engagement

There are benefits that come from personally feeling involved with a charity - giving you a new reason to get to work and to be productive. The more different ways you can offer your employees to support your chosen charity, the more likely they are to get behind the initiative and make it a success.

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What is Give as you Live Online?

Give as you Live Online is a FREE online fundraising platform that has raised over £33 million for UK charities just through online shopping. There are over 6,000 stores listed and over 200,000 charities available to support. Sign up, click through Give as you Live Online and raise free donations whenever you shop!

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Offers, donation rates and participating stores are correct at the time of writing and are subject to change. Please visit the Give as you Live Online website for the most up to date information.