Are you one of the many businesses that would like to add philanthropy and charitable donations to your business model? It can be daunting. Big picture questions pop up; what charities align with our corporate vision? What does our business stand for? What world views do our customers value? If your business doesn’t have a strong corporate mission and culture in place, then answering these questions can be difficult. In this new business world, philanthropy can easily set a business apart from competition and is often attractive to customers and communities within your industry. The new economic landscape is full of unlimited opportunities. If you considered adding philanthropy to your business model before, now is the time to move forward.
In the new global business world, options to include philanthropy in your business has grown exponentially. Philanthropic contributions can be about moving humanity forward, not solely about monetary donations. In the bigger picture, it is about taking many small steps toward a greater good. Something that is impossible to achieve individually, suddenly becomes achievable as the group grows larger. A group can offer more resources, more skills, more time, more energy. Several small gestures expand into a giant leap forward. This is good news for your business. Whichever philanthropic cause you decide to endorse will benefit from your support, network, time, or expertise – not only from a donation of money. It’s about vision, impact, and working together to make the world a better place. Focus on the parts that you can contribute to the cause and let the power of growth take care of the rest.
Does adding philanthropy to your business model still seem overwhelming? The principles you built your business on are not much different from the foundations of philanthropy. As business owners, we are driven by the idea that we are adding value to the lives of our customers and clients. The belief in our products and services have altruistic intentions at the core. We believe that what we offer to our customers is worthy of their time, energy, and investment. And, we enthusiastically deliver it to them with passion, commitment, and loyalty. Business is about long-term strategy. Each component of your business builds on top of the other to create an efficient, greater system of operations. Philanthropic projects achieve success in the same way. Think about adding value. Think long-term. Think about momentum and pushing humanity forward.
There is a lot of power in representing a cause and committing to a long-term solution, rather than short-term relief. It places your business outside of the old corporate-centered business world and aligns it with a new human-centered business world. This subtle shift contains the power for great things for moving humanity forward, both inside your business doors and out in the world.
Authored by Renee Wright