Charities help us all win
Time & money from companies & employees better the community
By John Mohan

On a recent airline flight, I sat beside a fellow Winnipegger who mentioned she worked for one of our credit unions. As we talked, she said how much she appreciated her company's involvement in local humanitarian causes. It made her feel good as an employee to know her company cared about more than just making a profit.

In contrast, I had previously met with a vice-president of a competitor. As I raised the issue of how they could partner with Siloam Mission to improve their community citizenship, he responded that they only cared about one thing: improving the share value of their members. They wanted to be bigger, not different.

Which one would you do business with?

Non-profit humanitarian agencies that receive funding from the city, province or Ottawa, agree on at least two things: 1) there is always room for improved and longer-term funding agreements and 2) there is a need for partnerships with the corporate sector.

Employees and consumers care about their communities and so must the business sector. No one will argue that companies are in business in part to make a profit. And with daily requests for support, businesses may find it difficult to see the benefits of such partnerships. However, directly partnering with local charities can actually improve the bottom line.

IMPROVE COMMUNITY

It improves employee morale. Generally, people feel better about working for companies that want to improve the community they live in versus those that only care about padding the wallets of owners or stockholders. This results in stronger staff retention.

No business can afford continuous staff turnover, the cost of retraining or the negative effects on customer care. In Manitoba's expanding economy, there's an acknowledged labour shortage. A positive community reputation gives a business a hiring advantage whenever new staff is needed.

It affects customer support. Beyond competitive pricing and good customer service, an overwhelming majority of consumers will choose to make their purchases from a company that supports local charities. It says that the company has a moral character and cares about the community in which their customers live.

All charities have bills to be paid and, while cash donations usually rank as their highest need, it is understandable that a company cannot possibly grant every request for donations. Still, a company can do something -- and often it's more than writing a cheque of giving an in-kind gift.

Some corporations are paying their staff to volunteer with charities that have high labour opportunities, such as Winnipeg Harvest or Siloam Mission. Some provide gifted professional services such as legal counsel or accounting support. Some offer marketing or technical expertise, which is invaluable to smaller charities.

Some provide matching gift incentives where they match dollar for dollar any registered charity their employee supports through a payroll deduction plan. A reciprocating opportunity could result as some charities can accommodate on-the-job training for business employees.

PARTNERING

It is a common and correct conjecture that non-profit agencies need corporate investment. It's equally true that communities and corporations need the services and opportunities that local charities provide.

Partnering with a local charity helps a company move from just serving a shareholder or a client to serving the entire community and helping those who are in need. Which means everybody wins, especially those whom the charities serve.

Originally printed in the Winnipeg Sun, Wednesday, January 30, 2008.
Reprinted with the permission of Sun Media Corporation.