Results Are In: Nearly One-Third of Companies Donate to Charitable Organizations

In May, we asked our readers how their company supports corporate citizenship, and the results showed that companies are across the board when it comes to supporting the community. Coming in first, 29% of companies give annual donations to charitable organizations, followed by “participating in food/blood drives” and “offering company-sponsored community involvement opportunities” with 18% each. According to the survey, when it comes to corporate citizenship, there’s no wrong way to get involved.

The full results to the poll are as follows:

• 29% give annual donations to charitable organizations
• 18% participate in food or blood drives
• 18% offer company-sponsored community involvement opportunities
• 14% allow employees time off for volunteer/community involvement
• 11% match a percentage of donations collected by employees
• 8% do not currently support any charitable giving and/or volunteer efforts

Another 2% of respondents selected the other option to write in company-specific actions, including “16 hours of paid time to volunteer each year for each full-time employee;” “national partnerships: United Way, First Book, Conservation Fund, and more;” and “wellness program participation in community walk/run events to support charities.”

Community involvement is not just a great way to positively impact your specific market, but is an important aspect of employee recruitment, engagement, and retention. According to a Deloitte Volunteer Impact Survey, 65% of HR executives believe volunteering is beneficial to their employees, and a study by Harvard Business Review found 86% of Millennials believe it is important that their work involves “giving back.” Maintaining a strong competitive edge in today’s marketplace comes down to hiring, engaging, and keeping the right people.

Read more about how community involvement is a solution to employee retention.

How has community involvement affected your business’ standing in its market? What are some more ways your company serves in your community? Let us know in the comments section below!