We’ve talked about why to incorporate corporate social responsibility in programs, and we’ve talked about the different ways that we give back to the community, either as an organization or as individuals. After talking about all of that giving back, we thought it was about time to throw down the gauntlet to other companies, both inside and outside of the industry, challenging them to start or increase ways they give back to the communities that support them.
At the end of the day, every business is a part of a larger community. That community provides a space to grow business while serving as a hub for innovation and inspiration. By giving back to those communities that help your business grow, there’s an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of not only your business’s prominence in the community but also how other organizations help support your initiatives.
Giving back provides a great opportunity to foster positivity in and around the workplace. When leaders are dedicated to helping and taking care of those around them, it makes it easier for people to show up to work each day. Knowing that their time and hard work goes toward making their surroundings more positive gives employees a greater sense of accomplishment and pride in the work they do. While this boost in employee morale is helpful to the community and overall workplace happiness, it’s also helpful for business.
By giving back and practicing good corporate social responsibility through different efforts—such as sponsoring community events, volunteering, and donating—you’re also creating a positive, free opportunity to get your name out there. When people see that you’re dedicated to more than just making money, they may be more inclined to choose your business over a competitor that doesn’t help others as much or at all.
It’s important to be careful, however, that the possibility of free PR isn’t the driving factor in deciding whether or not to give back. If performing an act of charity or kind-heartedness is rooted in a profit-gaining mentality, it’s not giving back; it’s just another business deal. When giving back to a community that has given so much to you, it’s crucial to be genuine.
If done right, giving back to the community not only benefits so many other people, but it also ends up benefitting business—so why not help the area that helps you?
Terra Cook is the Kansas City lead for “The Just Right Projects,” which is the charitable division of Bishop-McCann that is dedicated to providing just the right resources at just the right time.