How Employers can Show Generosity on Giving Tuesday (and Beyond!)

Celebrated on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday is a day of radical generosity. Whether it’s making someone smile, helping a neighbor or stranger out, showing up for an issue or people we care about, or giving some of what we have to those who need our help, every act of generosity counts, and everyone has something to give.

Employers can facilitate this spirit of generosity every day of the year, from matching employee donations to offering paid time off to volunteer. Here are a few ways employers can get giving:

• Start a movement or join a movement – give time or money to meaningful causes that tie to the company’s mission or values.
• Create an employee relief fund to assist employees through personal, challenging times.
• Develop a program for matching charitable gifts and match employee donations to causes they care about.
• Match more than donations – develop programs where employees can earn a company donation in exchange for their volunteer time, including employees who serve on nonprofit boards.
• Establish a community grant program that awards grants to nonprofits in the communities where employees live and work.
• Offer a charitable payroll deduction program for employees to have an easy way to donate to causes that they and the company care about.
• Offer paid time off to support civic/social causes or volunteer activities.
• Host volunteer opportunities like fundraising, charity runs or walks, or team building events focused around charitable work.
• Create opportunities to give back by analyzing business processes – for example, if you are in the food industry, build a process around donating surplus food to community food banks; if you are in the retail industry, engage customers in rounding up for charity or making larger donations at the point of sale.
• Offer mentorship opportunities for employees to engage with a mentee who will perhaps gain unique skills from their mentor’s expertise.
• Contribute to emergency funds, disaster recovery efforts, and social justice causes not only to help financially but to spread awareness and encourage other companies to participate in goodwill.

The best way a company can show its generous spirit is to not wait until Giving Tuesday! Take time to build and nurture a culture of corporate social responsibility into the workplace and business processes.