Feature: Charitable Causes, Promotion & Partnership
CSR for small businesses
For a small company, adopting a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme might seem like a costly or difficult endeavour, and you may feel like you don’t have the time or the funds to commit yourself to working for a greater cause. However SCR could help your company stand out from the crowd, compete with big businesses and boost your standing. But how can a small firm adopt a CSR strategy? Chamber Connect explores some small ways you can do your bit.
Going green Improving your eco-friendly credentials is an easy way to boost your CSR efforts. Small changes, such as going paperless, switching to low energy lighting and introducing a recycling scheme in the workplace can make a big difference. If you own and operate a fleet, consider switching to electric vehicles. It’s also important to get your staff on board; consider adopting a cycle to work scheme, distribute re-usable bottles and make sure all staff turn off equipment/electronics before leaving home for the day.
Championing the community A great way to put CSR at the heart of your company is to get involved with the community. As a local business, it shouldn’t be difficult for you to identify what your community needs and exactly how you can use your skills and expertise to help. This might mean assisting with a regeneration project (either by offering equipment or labour), donating equipment to community centres, schools or hospitals, visiting colleges and universities to offer careers advice and information, or developing local talent through apprenticeship schemes or work experience offerings. The benefits of working in the community are two-fold.
As well as providing help exactly where it’s needed, it is also an easy way to demonstrate your business expertise and show off the human face of your organisation, which can in turn help you win new business.
Choose a charity of the year Choosing a charity to support for a full year is a popular option for a lot of larger firms, and it’s an easy way to concentrate your charitable efforts. First select the charity you wish to partner with – it’s a
good idea to choose one that shares your aims, or get your staff to suggest charities that are close to their hearts. Then, over the course of a year, you can encourage your team to take on fundraising activities, from bake sales and fancy dress days, to sponsored activities such as such as marathons or mountain treks – or even a bungee jump! At the end of the year, all money raised will go to your
chosen charity – and then you can start again and pick a new charity to support. Over the years you will have the opportunity to do a lot of good for multiple charitable organisations.
50 CHAMBERconnect Spring 2020
‘A great way to put CSR at the heart of your
company is to get involved with the local community’
Work with likeminded businesses
Adopting a CSR programme is a brilliant opportunity to put your business in front of likeminded companies and forge lasting business
partnerships. For example, if your organisation chooses to champion a
green initiative, you should seek to work with other firms that can demonstrate their eco-friendly credentials. As well validating your own CSR efforts, such partnerships will offer you the chance to share best practices and reap the mutual benefits. It may also provide you with the opportunity to work with bigger organisations – increasingly, larger firms only wish to work with and support companies that can prove they are doing their part.
Volunteering You may not have the budget to make regular charitable contributions, but have you considered donating time instead? As an employee benefit, some firms give their staff the
option to spend a few days each year (with full pay) volunteering for a good cause, such as getting their hands dirty in a community garden, helping at a food bank or cleaning up a local park. As well as doing good, such initiatives will also help your
recruitment efforts and retain top talent. Young professionals especially seek employment with organisations that take CSR seriously, and by providing such opportunities you will also be encouraging your staff to work on their personal growth and professional development.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
