The impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is already significant, and is gathering pace at a point in history where more consumers than ever are picking brands based on their environmental and societal impact rather than solely on the quality of their products and services.
Of course encouraging commitment to and involvement in CSR initiatives among employees and other stakeholders is not necessarily going to be a walk in the park if you don’t also incentivize this at the ground level. To that end, here’s a look at what gifting strategies can do to sweeten the pill and provide a raft of associated benefits as well.
Put simply, incorporating gifting strategies into CSR campaigns supercharges employee engagement. This is significant given that average engagement levels vary wildly, with Gallup data showing that a typical level of 33% is seen nationally, while the companies that follow best practices to the letter can boost this to 70%.
In this context, personalized gifts bring smiles in the moment, while also developing more intricate connections within the team over time, and also aligning with your company's values. Here’s a look at how this works.
When it comes to in-person charity team building programs, participation is its own reward. Team members that get involved in schemes will feel that inner glow of altruism, whether they’re helping to build wheelchairs for disabled dogs or assembling water filters to ship to regions of the world where clean drinking water is in scarce supply. They will also learn to work together, bonding as they move towards a shared goal that benefits a good cause.
As part of this, you could cement the morale boost from charity-focused events and showcase this over time with personalized merch made for all participants. This might include:
Gifts serve as tangible reminders of shared goals. They reinforce a culture of giving back, embedding social responsibility into daily work life. Employees who see their efforts recognized are more likely to invest in CSR activities enthusiastically.
So for example let’s say you created branded water bottles made from recycled materials and handed them out during beach clean-up drives, or issued virtual shoutouts accompanied by small tokens of appreciation for online fundraising successes - these put the emphasis on pride in both individual contributions and collective achievements.
Personalized gifts can drive higher participation rates in volunteer programs. When employees know they'll receive something thoughtful, it nudges them towards joining more actively. Using a platform like the kudos app can help organizations track these efforts and celebrate contributions, further motivating employees to engage in corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Consider these strategies:
These perks act like mini-milestones that keep enthusiasm high throughout the year.
Start small but aim high when integrating gifting into your CSR plans:
Ultimately, weaving personalized gifts into employee-focused CSR efforts conjured up a committed workforce that’s ready to champion social causes alongside business objectives.
Integrating thoughtful gifting strategies into your CSR campaigns is not only about keeping employees onboard. The other reason to pursue this approach is that it can also significantly enhance your brand’s reputation. And since this is something that takes 20 years to get to a good place, you need every bit of help you can get.
When executed well, these gifts tell a story about your company’s values and commitment to the community. Here’s how.
Thoughtful gifts as part of CSR initiatives create a halo effect around your brand. When the public sees that you invest in meaningful ways, they perceive you as more genuine and caring. And with a survey from Medallia revealing that 47% of people steer clear of brands they’ve heard bad things about online, you need to avoid any kind of misstep here. To do this:
These actions make people associate your brand with positive social impact, rather than just commercial interests.
Gifts given through CSR activities can strengthen bonds with local communities. Think of how locally sourced products or collaboration with regional artisans on gift items can uplift neighborhoods and showcase support for local economies.
Here are some example initiatives to inspire you:
This approach roots your brand within the community fabric, generating the kind of goodwill that goes beyond transactions.
Strategic gifting can attract media attention - especially if it’s tied to significant causes or unique efforts. News outlets love stories where companies show innovative ways of giving back.
Your options for enhancing gifts in the context of your CSR efforts include:
Perhaps the best recent examples of this came during the pandemic, when a plethora of tech firms sent care packages - including PPE and wellness products - to frontline workers. This earned them ample media coverage, and put a positive spin on the rest of their activities at this time.
Consider these steps when incorporating thoughtful gifting into CSR plans:
For employee engagement and brand reputation, gifting strategies really can help your CSR campaigns take wings and soar to new heights. You just have to be willing to put in the graft that’s required to get them where they need to go.
