Focusing on the Greater Good

Focusing on the Greater Good

With the holidays upon us, many have increased their attention to giving back to those in need. Organizations are no different, and many often participate in charitable giving throughout the year. Volunteer grants, matching gifts, or even organization-wide campaigns are just some of the ways organizations can engage in corporate charitable giving. While tax incentives might be one of the most widely known benefits to corporate charitable activity, gone are the days when companies engaged in these activities purely for direct monetary reason. Charitable acts are not without their own incentives as there are many positive impacts to your organization as a whole.

1) Boosts Positive Employee Relations

When employees from different levels and functional areas of an organization are brought together to work on a charitable giving initiative, employees feel a sense of cohesion and strive to work towards common goals. This cohesion has the ability to translate into other aspects of work, increasing effective teamwork across your organization.

2) Drives Engagement

Studies have shown that giving back to the community can actually increase employee engagement within the organization. The concept of prosocial behavior, or doing something for the good of someone else, positively affects employees participating in corporate charitable giving. Prosocial behavior can increase productivity and pride in the workplace. In addition, philanthropic or charitable activity can build an employee’s gratitude to the organization, creating a stronger connection with their workplace.^[1]

3) Builds a Stronger Connection with the Community

Charitable activity within your community builds a stronger connection between your organization and the community. This mutually beneficial relationship will last beyond any philanthropic event, and could build a strong support network of people who can speak positively on your company’s behalf. Giving back to our communities also allows us to be more socially aware, and employees tend to respect leaders who do good in the community. Being a positive force in the community can keep employees motivated and increase morale, which is attractive to anyone in the job market.

4) Increases Positive Reputation

Philanthropic activity rarely goes unnoticed and can put your organization in the spotlight. Positive news spreads quickly, meaning recognition for your organization can reach wide audiences. In fact, in a study conducted by Cone Communications, 96% of global customers had a more positive outlook on businesses that supported social or environmental issues.^[2] Getting involved in charitable activities could make your organization more visible and appealing to your client base, helping you to reach organizational goals.

FMP Consulting is proud to spend the holidays giving back to The Fund for Alexandria’s Child, an program dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for foster and at-risk children. FMP is sponsoring three families this year, providing them with a wish list of items, grocery store gift cards, and more. Make sure you get involved this holiday season and see what positive impact you can have!

Katie Conlon is an Analyst at FMP Consulting. She previously worked as the Research and Data Visualization Manager at National Journal. Katie received a Master of Science in Natural Resources from North Carolina State University and received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida.

[1] Margaret Jacoby, “4 Ways Workplace Giving/Volunteering Can Drive Employee Engagement,” The Huffington Post, December 8, 2015.

[2] Sarah Cahan, “Cone Releases the 2013 Cone Communications/Echo Global CSR Study,” Cone Communications, May 22, 2013.