Corporate Philanthropy: Giving Back When Times are Tough

When companies are doing well, it’s easy to support charitable causes and to make corporate donations. During difficult economic times, however, philanthropy is often one of the first initiatives to disappear.

Giving back during tough times is a great way to re-focus employees and to encourage staff to look beyond their immediate situation and look outwards to the community around them. Practicing corporate philanthropy can serve many benefits:

Supporting company values

Many companies have “supporting our community” as a company philosophy or value. Giving back will help to enforce that this value really is important for the company.

Team-building

Rallying employees together to support a common cause can bring employees together in a way that a staff meeting cannot.

Foster empathy

No matter how tough things seem, helping those in need makes us appreciate that our own situations aren’t so bad when others are in much more dire straits.

Sense of accomplishment

Whether baking cupcakes for a fundraiser, cleaning up a park in your neighbourhood, or volunteering for one of hundreds of local charities, the sense of accomplishment and appreciation employees will receive will be inspiring.

Build community

Businesses, the people who work there, and the families who support them, are the backbone of any community. Giving back to that community serves to make it stronger, healthier and more vibrant.