Getting socially involved as a company - Four quick and easy ways

In a world where social and ecological challenges are becoming increasingly present, many people want to become more socially involved - with their time or with their money. And more and more companies also want to not only make a profit with their business, but also get involved socially and create a lasting impact. The expectations of employees, customers, and partners for companies regarding social engagement are also growing steadily. As a result, Corporate Social Responsibility has become a topic that companies, regardless of size and industry, can hardly ignore in recent years.  At its core, CSR refers to the (usually voluntary) commitment of companies to take responsibility for social and ecological issues beyond their legal obligations.

📚 Table of Contents

• Why Corporate Engagement Often Becomes a Challenge

• Four Paths to Corporate Engagement

1. Giving Together with Employee Giving

2. Fostering Cohesion and Social Awareness Through Events

3. Find Regional Organizations That Align with Your Company Purpose

4. Starting a Corporate Foundation

• Summary

Making a Positive Impact Without Greenwashing

Getting involved in social causes can be a challenging task for companies, requiring time, effort, and clear priorities. This is because: for a CSR strategy to be successful, it is important that measures are not implemented in isolation, but are aligned with the company's core goals and values.  Especially in a time when greenwashing, marketing maneuvers, and a certain skepticism about the intentions of companies are widespread, a company's credibility is quickly at stake. A well-known example of a CSR strategy that turns out to damage the company's image due to allegations of greenwashing is Coca Cola, as Greenpeace shows in this 2019 study.

So where to start if you want to become effectively socially active as a company? In this article, we introduce four ways to successfully take social responsibility - without tying up too much time and resources from the team.

Four Paths to Corporate Engagement

1. Giving Together with Employee Giving

It's worth taking a look at the USA to see how successful companies organize their engagement. One trend that has been growing here for some time is Employee Giving (also known as workplace giving).  Companies like Google, Bank of America, and many others already offer these programs, allowing their employees to financially support non-profit organizations. There are various forms of Employee Giving programs, including matching donations, where the company doubles or quadruples the donations of its employees, or paid time off for volunteer work. However, Employee Giving programs have also gained popularity here in recent years – and for good reason. They offer companies an easy way to use a portion of their revenue for socially relevant issues while actively involving employees in their engagement. This can strengthen employee retention and motivation, as well as help attract talented professionals who are not just looking for a job, but for a company that shares their values and beliefs. This is because employees, especially Millennials and Generation Z, are increasingly looking for employers who make a positive contribution to society and actively support important social and environmental issues.

An impressive example of a company's commitment to Employee Giving is Google. In 2017, Google committed to donating $1 billion to organizations that support a fairer job market and equal opportunities. In 2024, the corporation alongside its employees provided $2 billion in donations. Furthermore, Google employees have already contributed approximately 160 years of volunteer work. This illustrates the strong impact created when companies and employees stand together for a better world.

An opportunity to launch Employee Giving at your company is offered by bcause.com. On our platform, you can set up your own foundation profile in just a few minutes, choose matching organizations from our recommendations, and support them financially as a team. 

2. Fostering Cohesion and Social Awareness Through Charity Events

Organizing charity events is another effective way to demonstrate social engagement and support the community. Companies could, for example, organize charity runs, fundraisers, or benefit events to raise money for local non-profit organizations. Such events not only foster cohesion within the company but also strengthen relations with the local community and help raise awareness of important causes.

Discover how your reach is turned into impact with an Event Foundation on bcause.

bcause as your partner for your charity campaign

3. Partnerships with Organizations Pursuing a Similar Mission 

Tailor-made social engagement can be achieved by partnering with organizations that align with the core values and goals of the business. For example, if a company has a strong focus on education, it could seek out nonprofits focused on promoting education. Such targeted partnerships ensure that the company's efforts have the maximum positive impact while supporting its own goals.

4. Start an Online Foundation

While establishing your own foundation used to be reserved only for large and long-established companies due to high entry barriers, today founders and small teams also have the opportunity to organize their financial commitment utilizing their own online foundation. On bcause.com, companies can set up their own foundation profile in just a few minutes and invite employees, customers, and partners to donate together with them to selected organizations. This has several advantages over direct donations to organizations: your own online foundation is accessible via an individual link, which can be linked on the company website or shared as part of events and campaigns, and transparently displays not only current but also past financial commitments of a company. Companies like Ten More In, HR Pepper, or nookees are already using online foundations. 

Learn more about Business Foundations on bcause.

We are happy to support you on your way to your digital foundation with a free initial consultation.

Schedule your initial consultation now

Summary

Overall, there are many ways for companies to engage socially, and those mentioned above are just a few examples. For measures to achieve the desired outcome, it is important that social engagement is authentic and that companies support causes that are close to their hearts and align with their values. By leveraging their resources, talents, and voices, companies can make a lasting and positive contribution to society while building a strong connection with their employees, customers, and the community.