3 Steps to Elevate the Value of Your Corporate Donation This Year

Give yourself a thumbs up if you and your team include a yearly donation to one or more nonprofits.?Today, I’d like you to spend a moment thinking about the value of that donation to you and your business.?When speaking to CEOs and CFOs, here are the top responses I receive:

1)?????We add the contribution details to our corporate communications.?So often, that means a slide in the sales/investor decks and on the website.?Employees, clients, and vendors are often unaware of this philanthropy unless they hit the website or view an updated slide deck.

2)?????As a C Corp, we're able to realize the tax deduction.?Giving cash or relevant non-cash donations to a 501c3 in good standing does indeed allow you to claim a deduction on your filing.

3)?????It just feels good to give back.?I wonder how long that feel good is for a leader.?Is the feel good as long as it takes to write the check??Are you reminded of it when the nonprofit sends a thank you note?

At a time when standing out from your competition continues to be more difficult from a sales and team perspective, I’m here to share just 3 things that could turn that donation not into a magic pill (which is known as greenwashing*) but into a culture shift that has positive implications for your business today and in the future.

Number 1. Bring your leadership team together and talk about the best way to give back to your community.?Then, reach out to your organization and get their input.?This is an opportunity to create alignment and purpose above and beyond your core business.?Whether your company was launched with a cause in mind, or not, this is an opportunity to create a human element to your business that is aligned and supports differentiation for you in the marketplace.

Number 2. Select a local cause partner (nonprofit, B Corp, or social commerce initiative) that will benefit from your attention.?Whether volunteerism, social sharing, or a giving campaign, your organization can partner to achieve the cause impact that matters to the business.

Number 3.?Document.?Start small and capture media (photos/comments/video) while you’re giving back.?Maybe you provide a day off for each team, or a group activity with your cause partner.?This is not to aggrandize your activities, but to archive your company activities for a quarterly/yearly give-back to causes that are aligned with your business.

Authentic #givingback is to be celebrated.?As key hire candidates consider your company, when personalization and cause participation are a ‘must’, you will be able demonstrate these key values and align the right talent for your company’s growth.

Additional value elements:

• Elevated impact conversations within your organization
• Attracting/retaining key talent
• Attracting/retaining key customers/partners/investors
• Creating a corporate legacy conversation to be proud of … priceless.

Check out our Impact Your Cause on LinkedIn in 7 Days HERE.

*greenwashing is the process of conveying a false impression of doing good in the community or providing misleading information about how a company's products are environmentally sound.?

#givingback #causebranding #socialimpact #socialgood #socialresponsibility #greatplacetowork #greatresignation #talentretention #causemarketing #GenZ #Millenial