May 30, 2017

Your business is steadily growing. You’re receiving funding, and you and your teammates are satisfied at work; so how do you further develop your company culture?

Once a company is financially comfortable, usually the next step involves doing charity work and donating to causes employees believe in. But what if you don’t own a multi-million dollar company and still want to make a difference? We’ve created a list of ways to help support your community:

Team clean-up

You don’t have to take your team to the side of a highway to help preserve nature, alternatively you can participate in forest or shore cleanups! This generally means removing plastic or excess weeds from the environment. Afterward, you’ll feel better because you helped your community and environment, and strengthened the team’s bond. Added bonus: clean-ups are free events!

#Charity

Use your pull on social media to pledge a certain amount of money on a specific day each time a particular hashtag is used. For example: each year, Bell Let’s Talk, a Canadian organization whose goal is to remove the stigma from mental illnesses, pledges to donate 5 cents each time someone uses the hashtag #BellLetsTalk, calls, or texts the organization. This campaign has occurred annually since 2010, and has raised nearly $100 million since it began for Canadian mental health programs.

Not only will your company make an impactful difference, you are also creating brand awareness.

Events

Wine & paint night. Yoga afternoon. Coffee shop & music meetup. Think of fun, interesting ways to bring people together! Sell tickets, then donate proceeds to a charity you feel passionately about. This is a creative way to have a good time, network, and give back.

Ethical consumerism

Fill your office with items from local shops, companies that give back to others or “one-for-one” stores. This adds ethics and originality to your space, while encouraging other small businesses.

Every little bit helps

If you have a team of 10 people and everyone donates $10, then you’ve already raised $100. Vote as a team where you’d like to donate. This includes each teammate in the decision and let’s each person contribute equally.

Remember, donating or contributing does not have to be a serious activity! Have fun, and keep doing good deeds.

Sarah Temple, Communications, Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship