The world is full of people, but it’s also full of needs. Corporations are an integral part of meeting these needs by providing jobs and developing communities, but they can also make a difference in the lives of individuals through corporate philanthropy. Below are ways of promoting corporate philanthropy.

Get Out in the Community

One way to promote corporate philanthropy is by getting out in the community and making a difference. Participating in activities such as volunteering for children’s summer camps, food banks, or disaster relief allows corporations to build relationships with local charities and become more active members of their communities. This can be done by simply donating money, but lending hands-on support also has an impact because people can see firsthand how generous companies are with time and funds. Getting involved helps meet the needs of the disadvantaged within the community. It allows corporations to interact more directly with customers, creating a closer relationship that could prove beneficial down the road.

Give more than money

Companies should not only be active in the community and give money but also time and resources. As mentioned above, donating resources such as food and clothes to local communities demonstrates a corporation’s generosity and commitment to their community.

By giving back to the community through more than financial means, companies can make an even bigger difference by helping less fortunate members of society, thus promoting corporate philanthropy.

Understand your audience

While it is always beneficial to give back to the community, companies should understand who they are giving to. This means understanding age groups and what certain organizations specialize in. For example, donating food to an organization that deals with children’s homes would be ideal because it provides for people who need it most (children) rather than simply donating food to a community center.

Level social media strategically

Providing services for those who need them the most is just as beneficial as simply donating to a cause, and society will usually see this and acknowledge it. Using social media to promote companies’ philanthropic efforts helps create a good reputation and can be used as an incentive for people to support their company. Companies should consider sharing before and after photos of people who have received donations, along with information on the charities they are supporting. This encourages other businesses to participate in corporate philanthropy and help generate an audience for these social media accounts.

Employee involvement

As helpful as it can be to have a company’s support, it does even more for people when employees get involved. Employees are the ones who work with organizations on a daily basis and are in the best position to endorse what they do. Employee volunteer days allow companies to share their efforts with other businesses while helping improve morale by getting employees involved in their communities. Showing employees that their company is doing good for others also allows corporations to develop a sense of pride within the company. Using social media to post about employee volunteer days or simply sharing stories on what they have done creates an environment where people are happy to work at the organization.

This article was originally published on Jack Nourafshan’s website.