My Guide to Giving Back: 5 Important Things to Consider

Way back in 2008, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg took the stage at a conference for one of his most prominent public appearancesyet as the CEO of the four-year-old company. Someone asked about his plans for philanthropy. (At that point, Google already had a well-established Google.org division that provided funding, tech and other resources to various nonprofits.) 

Zuckerberg’s answer? Because Facebook’s balance sheet was “around break even,” the company wasn’t profitable enough to get involved in charitable work. Today, Facebook still doesn’t have a corporate foundation.  

I disagree with that thinking.

Being involved in charitable causes is a good business strategy, no matter what stage your company is in—and even if you aren’tmaking piles of money. At my company, hint,partnering with philanthropic causes was a no-brainer, even in our pre-profitability days. That’s because we’re a mission-driven company, first and foremost. I created hint so that other people could experience the same health transformation that I went through when I switched from diet soda to drinking my fruit essence-infused water. (Related: How to Turn a “Basic” Product Into a Trending Brand)

Here are a couple of things I’ve learned about incorporating social responsibility into your business, even in your earliest days.

1. You should be mission-driven. 

People want brands to take a stand. Two-thirds of Americans saythat they think it’s important for companies to be vocal about social and political issues. As you are developing the business plan for your company and your brand identity, it’s worth considering: What do I want this company to stand for? What causes do I want to use its voice to support? 

2. Listen to your customers. 

At hint, we partner with the American Cancer Society’s Cancer.orgresource hub, but I never would have decided to work with them on my own. (There are a lot of health-related causes out there, after all.) But a few years into hint’s formation, we started hearing that people undergoing cancer treatment loved hint because it masked the metallic aftertaste that chemotherapy can leave in their mouths. These are the sorts of things you can learn when you keep up a dialogue with your customers, which you should be doing anyway!

3. It’s OK to be worried about getting “too political.” 

We live in extremely polarizing times, and some causes are more controversial than others. It’s perfectly fine to be concerned that aligning your company with a charity that’s close to your heart might cost you customers. Big brands, like Nike, can be openly edgy with their cause-related marketing and win tons of awards for their advocacy work. But when you’re a smaller company, it can be risky. Don’t feel bad about needing to weigh the pros and cons of a specific charitable partnership when your bottom line is at stake.

4. You can be charitable without spending money. 

Early on, hint definitely didn’t have the budget to make donations or the human bandwidth to go all-in on strategic partnerships. Instead, we donated our product to events, like nonprofit galas. This gave people a delicious and healthy alternative to alcoholic beverages, while elevating our brand and linking us with causes we were eager to support. Also, keep in mind, that philanthropy is a great way to engage with the community where you and your employees live and work. Consider asking your employees what they’d like to see your company support through donating product or contributing volunteer hours, whether it’s a working a community garden or a local marathon. (Related: How to Promote Employee Wellness When You Can’t Offer Big Company Perks)

5. Make sure you’re living your values. 

This is a bigone. Ever heard of the term “greenwashing”? It’s when corporations make noise about supporting environmental causes or creating sustainable products…but it turns out to be more marketing than truth. Such tactics are disrespectful to both to the cause and to the customers. When you’re thinking about aligning your company with charitable organizations, you should also consider how you live those causes’ values every day on the job. Look at your supply chain, your employee benefits, and the standards to which you hold everyone you work with, including yourself. Make sure they’re consistent with the causes for which you want to advocate, and make them a core part of your company’s DNA.

Now that’sgood business.

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Let’s Connect! Find me onTwitter(@KaraGoldin), and DM me your burning business questions and/or comments.

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–basedhint?, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. Listen to her podcast,Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her onTwitter,Facebook, andInstagram.