Supporting Causes Enhances Your Company and Its Culture

⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

Whether you are a small business with a few employees or a large corporation with more than 1,000 people on the payroll, having a cause everyone can support benefits your business and community. It’s more than just a tax write-off at the end of the year. You have the opportunity to invoke major change, a few dollars or a few moments at a time.

On a basic level, large to small companies use corporate social responsibility to “take responsibility for the social and environmental impacts of their business operations.” This mindset allows for more symmetrical two-way communication between businesses and their employees, businesses and their communities and businesses and the world at large.

From a reputation standpoint, a company wants to be seen and heard as a good corporate citizen. A corporation could host a food drive during the holiday season to help local hungry people in need, host an employee giving campaign for a cause or protect the environment by decreasing its environmental footprint.

Coca-Cola gives one percent of its annual income to philanthropic efforts across the globe. For more than 30 years, the Coca-Cola Foundation has granted more than $900 million to efforts, including water and environmental programs, women’s empowerment, strengthening communities and disaster relief.

Legendary casual wear company Lacoste protects crocodiles with each purchase of a polo or other item adorned with its recognizable embroidered crocodile emblem. In 2018, Lacoste unveiled a new collection of polos with other endangered species in the crocodile’s spot, increasing support and visibility of other animals.

Target focuses heavily on education-related programs and has contributed $875 million since 2010. The company donates to communities in which it has stores, directly impacting local economies.

Hourglass Media supports a wide range of causes to support individuals locally and across the globe. Ideally, we want to leave the world in a better place than when we began our business through our support of mental health, women’s empowerment, education and children’s issues and local nonprofits’ missions.

How can corporate social responsibility benefit your own company?

A cause can unite your team.

Get involved in your local community. Chances are, there is a multitude of nonprofit organizations that need your help right in your own backyard. An employee giving campaign or a day of service brings your employees together, which increases teamwork, productivity, communications and more. So, while you’re helping an organization serve its clients, you’re also helping your team grow.

It gives you that extra mood boost.

It’s no secret that donating to a cause dear to your company’s heart can boost endorphins. When you feel like you’re doing something good for a cause, you get that warm fuzzy feeling that could last even on the roughest of daily grinds.

It enhances your reputation.

When you have a strong sense of corporate social responsibility, you will be seen as a leader for that cause. When customers and potential partners see this, they could be more prone to purchase your product or use your services. Contributing to causes aids in enhancing your company’s reputation.

Kaylin R. Staten, APR is an award-winning public relations practitioner and writer. She owns Hourglass Media, a consulting company based in Huntington, WV.

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