42 . Glasgow Business December 2016
fundraise through their work. We get a lot of volunteer support from our corporate partners – that includes coming along to cheer people on at a fundraising event such as a marathon, or it can be office-based support and volunteering at the hospital itself. “Similarly, we work with a huge range of
businesses – from local shops who have one of our collection cans to more strategic alliances with large corporates, such as with Morgan Stanley.”
BE PREPARED
Maximising the benefits depends on geting things right from the start. As with the vast majority of business activity, the trick is to prepare well. • Understand what you want to achieve: for charities, collaboration shouldn’t just be viewed as a money-making scheme. It is a chance to gain access to new skills and networks, and develop the business. For businesses, it’s not simply a nod to CSR, but the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of, and empathy with, the communities it serves
• Find the right partner: both sides should do their homework and create a list of suitable potential partners. Don’t rule anyone out due to their size or shape, instead focus on their vision, mission and values, and how their strategic goals might complement your own
• Set roles and objectives: make sure that the goals of all parties are identified and
“Simple human feeling and empathy will always be at the heart of the link between business and charity”
establish a plan as to how these will be met and the role each partner has to play
• Put in place policies, systems and processes: partnership work may be beneficial but it can also be fraught with risks, including loss of flexibility and autonomy, dilution of brand and key messages, and a lack of consistency that can lead to confusion
• Communicate, communicate, communicate: constant communication keeps your partners in the loop and makes them feel engaged, valued and respected. Make sure everyone is speaking the same language. Keep it simple and easy to understand. Ultimately, the rewards you gain from a
partnership depend on the amount of work you put in. However, it can be worth it even in the toughest of times – adversity presents the opportunity to forge new partnerships, especially when what you are doing is a force for good. Alison said: “Te as yet unclear fallout from Brexit does bring uncertainty, but there
is always opportunity amidst any change. Businesses – including charities – will still operate and CSR engagement is still going to be an area of focus. “Charities must be as creative as companies
when the economic climate is tough. Te whole approach needs to be much more than about financial giving. Tey should look at a business’s corporate aims and objectives and position the charity as a solution to some of these challenges.”
COMMERCIAL FUTURE
Te increasing focus on a considered strategic approach to build long-term relationships looks set to continue. In an overview of trends to 2023, the
Charities Trust noted: ‘Companies will increasingly look for business benefits through partnerships with the voluntary sector, such as those that help make employees more creative and entrepreneurial, those that improve their brand and reputation and those that create ideas for products and services.’ Te organisation also anticipated the
increasing importance of charities finding effective ways of measuring their impact. As a result, it is likely that corporate
partnerships will become increasingly commercialised over the next decade. Tat said, simple human feeling and empathy will always be at the heart of the link between business and charity.
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