Giving Compass' Take:

•  Erin Halley, writing for VolunteerMatch, describes how the Starbucks Foundation drives real change to extend its CSR efforts out to the community. 

• How can donors help facilitate engagement between corporations and surrounding communities? 

• Here are three ways to activate your CSR mission. 

Organizations have the ability to drive real change at scale. Whether that’s through creating sustainability practices that minimize their carbon footprints and lead to higher standards for their business or by bringing employees together with customers and fellow community members to improve lives, both for and non-profit organizations can set new bars that encourage others in their sector to raise their game.

How can you help your organization expand its CSR programs to include the broader community?

Beyond making an impact at scale, doing good is also good for business. According to recent research conducted by Mintel, 84% of consumers say it is important to them that a company supports charitable causes. Embedding social good as part of an organization’s DNA is also essential in today’s business climate for anyone hoping to overcome customers’ natural suspicions about a company’s good intentions. In the same report, 45% of respondents agreed that they are skeptical of brands’ social responsibility initiatives and 35% think companies with CSR programs do so just to look good. Taking authentic action towards improving the world not only can reinforce organizational values, and help customers connect to the brand in a meaningful and trusted way, it can also impact how employees feel about the organization. The Deloitte Volunteerism Impact Survey found that 74% of employees surveyed think volunteerism provides an improved sense of purpose.

One organization we look to at VolunteerMatch in the spirit of doing good to strengthen communities, is Starbucks. We’ve been helping Starbucks connect customers and employees to volunteer opportunities year-round and to do good in their local communities for several years now, and we’re proud to help Starbucks drive social change holistically as a part of its mission. The organization is strengthening communities by connecting and inspiring their customers and employees to make a difference. In 2018 alone, Starbucks employees reported volunteering a total of 78,000 hours.

Change happens with one action at a time. The Starbucks story is one unique one we share to help motivate and inspire all of us to think about how we can activate as a member of a company, community group, or any kind of organization, to get thinking in new ways. Imagine if we all come together as a united force to accelerate change in ways that are locally meaningful and globally impactful? What can you do to help an organization you are part of get your constituents more involved in service to your community?

Read the full article about strengthening your community by Erin Halley at VolunteerMatch.