How to Integrate Corporate Philanthropy with your Company’s Vision
Corporate philanthropy has become an essential part of business operations in today’s society. Companies and individuals now feel a stronger sense of responsibility to give back to the community they are a part of than businesses from centuries past. Integrating corporate philanthropy with your company’s vision is an important element of business accountability and structure.
We look back to a previous blog post on Cerius, Aligning Philanthropy to an Organization’s Mission, for some of the most practical ways and questions the leadership team should ask to align your mission with corporate philanthropy or giving.
- What is your leadership and organization as a whole passionate about that will create greater unity, focus, and joy for your giving?
- Locally, regionally and globally, what problem or issue can you realistically help solve? At our firm, we focus our passion for helping solve education locally and “mission” trips globally that center on helping in underdeveloped nations.
- When should we ACT, create Awareness about your cause, Communicate how the cause is an integral part of why the organization exists, and finally Take action? Treat implementing your philanthropic cause with the same corporate excellence and stewardship as a new product roll out, key customer, or any other strategic initiative.
So once you have answered the basic questions, identified the cause or causes, and are ready to take action, how can you help individuals develop greater alignment of corporate philanthropy with your mission?
In our experience, the five core drivers for staying with an organization today include a person’s:
- Fulfillment
- Character
- Authenticity
- Generosity
- Restoration
People will align and contribute to the success of your mission if they are fulfilled by your vision, mission, and values. That happens because they have a set of character traits such as attitude, beliefs, and commitment that are authentic and real which drives them to pursue and engage in your mission with more generosity of their LIFE capital.