Does your company have a community engagement plan? If so, is it working for you? A good community engagement plan is much more than mailing checks to non-profits and organizing employee volunteers for an annual beach cleanup.
Ask yourself if your community engagement plan does these five things:
- Reflect your business and its values
- Support respected, impactful organizations in the communities where you work
- Engage your employees
- Help you build stronger, meaningful relationships with your employees, clients, elected officials and community
- Raise awareness about your company’s good deeds
A good plan targets your resources – both dollars and people – to do the most good in the areas important to you while building goodwill and making a positive difference.
Live Your Values
No company can say yes to all of its donation requests. We can’t save THE world, but we can make a difference in OUR world by being strategic in our giving and volunteer efforts.
As you write your plan, ask yourself “What’s important to my company and its employees?” Consider surveying your employees about what types or organizations they would like to volunteer for and have the company support.
If your business values and serves families, then Habitat for Humanity, the local food bank, or Boys and Girls Clubs of America may be a good match. If you’re an engineering company, STEM education would be a logical choice.
Since 1984 Coca-Cola has chosen to enhance the sustainability of local communities around the world. It has invested millions in economic empowerment and entrepreneurship for women, water conservation and access and education and other community initiatives.
BP supports a wide range of institutions and initiatives, including disaster recovery, STEM education, military veteran programs, disease research, and training for Olympic and Paralymic athletes.
Take some time to learn about the organizations you’re supporting to understand what they do, their greatest needs and how they link with your goals and values.
Convert That Time and Money into Gold
A good plan makes the most of every giving or volunteer opportunity by strengthening employee and community relationships, demonstrating your community commitments and raising positive awareness.
Consider building the following into your plan:
- Engaging with local leaders and influencers
- Having company leaders volunteer alongside employees
- Seeking publicity opportunities to recognize the benefitting organizations as well as your company
- Developing mentoring programs to develop future talent
At the end of the day, it feels great to help others in our community. That’s the greatest reward of all.
Kathy Thomas is founder and owner of Community Strategies LLC, a corporate communications company founded in 1993.
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