May 3rd, 2018
With small businesses facing constant pressure on profits, carrying out charity work might seem to be a low priority for some companies. However, fundraising for worthy causes can bring with it a series of benefits for company owners and employees, not to mention the charity itself.
Basepoint Business Centres, a specialist in supplying managed office space to let at more than 30 locations across the UK, have raised thousands of pounds for charities in recent years. Here we look at some of the key advantages of SME fundraising, whether it is by having an official charity partner or by supporting individual efforts by staff.
Positive PR
If your SME gets involved with charity fundraising and you publicise it intelligently in the local media and online, it will give your business some valuable free publicity. If there is a personal connection, for example raising funds for a member of the community or a family member who is unwell, then that is likely to boost your company’s profile even further and will achieve a caring corporate identity.
A Boost for Employees
If you show that your business has a social conscience by regularly donating to charity or becoming involved in charity work, you may attract a better class of employee and be able to retain staff better.
Your staff will probably get something fulfilling out of doing charity work too, more than just a pay cheque. Spending a day out of the office on a sponsored fundraising activity is also fun and can help build relationships within the office, which is great for morale.
Community Engagement
Carrying out charity work shows your business cares about its corporate social responsibility. CSR aims to ensure that companies conduct their business in an ethical way and takes into account a company’s social, environmental and economic impact. It can involve working in partnership with local communities or charities.
If the charity you are working with is a local one, it will show that you care about the local community. Local charity work may also provide you with the opportunity to develop some business contacts and do some valuable networking.
Health Benefits
There are numerous health benefits do doing fundraising for a charity because a lot of the activities are often physical. These could be fun-runs or marathons, bike rides, parachute jumps or sports matches. The preparation and training for most of these will help get employees fitter, which could have beneficial effects for things like absences and sickness rates in the long term.
Physical activities also provide mental health benefits too; healthier staff are happier staff – and happier staff are more likely to be productive at work, especially if they feel fulfilled and feel they are part of a company brand that has raised funds for a deserving cause.
Basepoint’s Chosen Charities
Basepoint Business Centres understands the huge benefits of helping charities. Each of our centres raises funds for a huge range of designated local charities, such as a raffle for a trip to Barcelona, a community basics bank or a fundraiser for Cardiomyopathy UK. We often also do charity fundraising events and activities on Basepoint premises.
Basepoint Business Centres offer a huge range of office facilities, including reception services, on-site management, meeting rooms, communal break-out areas for refreshments and virtual offices.
Basepoint has managed office space to let in over 30 locations across southern England, the Midlands and East Anglia, including Bournemouth, Canterbury, Dartford, Folkestone, Exeter, Ipswich and Luton. Use our contact form here and we will get back to you.
