With your business now flourishing, you’re in a position where you have the resources to give back and make a difference in your community. By donating time or money to a worthwhile cause, you’ll become a more socially responsible company while also strengthening the loyalty your clients feel for your organization.
But with so many organizations to choose from, how can you ensure you’re supporting the right cause? You’ll need to do some research and consult with your team to find a cause that aligns best with your values and beliefs as a company. To help you get started, here are a few tips for identifying and evaluating the best causes to support with your business.
Create a list with your team members
Identify an organization that resonates with your company’s mission and values. Then, open a dialogue among members of your senior team to learn more about the organizations they support. This will help you narrow down the list of causes that reflect both your business and your employees.
Take a multipronged approach
Choose causes that match your core values, that your team is passionate about, and that will help you to make a real impact. Supporting causes that your team is enthusiastic about will help you sustainably take action. Additionally, you can look for opportunities to donate your time, money, and business services to other groups.
Base your choice on your brand’s values
When choosing a cause to support, make sure it aligns with your values and makes sense for your brand. Consider what’s important to you or your customers and whether it’s a personal connection to a disease-related cause or increasing access to education.
Remain authentic
Be sure to remain authentic and genuine in your cause selections. Consumers are smart, so make sure the organizations you choose to work with make sense for your company and product. For each cause, answer why you decided to support it. If you’re not sure, then it’s the wrong cause.
Research the integrity of the organization
Before you get involved in any cause, take the time to do your research. Look for an organization that aligns with your business’s goals or mission. Depending on the industry, that may be difficult, but take the time to check out givewell.org to make sure you’re supporting the right organization and that your money and time are going where they should.
Make a commitment and track your progress
It’s important to pick a cause that is meaningful to you and your company. Make sure it aligns with your corporate values. Also, choose a cause that you can make a significant impact on. For example, if you’re in the education field, STEM is a great cause to support. If you’re in high-tech, consider focusing on women in leadership. Once you’ve chosen a cause, make a commitment to support it and track your progress.
Consider how the funds are allocated
Be sure to do your homework on the organization you’re considering. Make sure it’s allocating its funding responsibly toward the identified cause. You should feel good about both giving money and getting personally involved.
Become as involved as you can
It’s important to be as involved as you can with the workings of the organization. If you have the resources, you may even want to start your own foundation. This will bring you closer to the causes you care about and will be a great way to make an impact.
Get behind a social cause
When you’re looking for causes to support with your business, think about causes that align with your core values. Working with organizations can be done on many levels, so make sure to talk to them about your mission and what kind of support you can give. Always double-check the authenticity of requests for funds and donations before you give.
Aim to reach the largest amount of people
When choosing a cause to support, choose one that can positively benefit the most people with the least amount of impact. Try to pick causes that are apolitical, and that can be supported by all employees and customers, regardless of race or background. Feeding and protecting children is a great cause that will draw attention and support from everyone.
Conduct your outreach with integrity
Remember to choose and support organizations authentically – not just to build your brand. Make sure they align with your mission, vision, and values. Involve your employees in the decision-making process so they can be invested in the cause. Doing it for marketing purposes isn’t a good idea – do it because your organization genuinely cares.