Corporate-based philanthropy is an important practice that gives a business opportunity to improve on its social responsibility in society. The success of a corporate-based philanthropy program depends upon multiple factors, among which include the ability of the organization to involve its employees fully. Employee engagement through philanthropy is beneficial to both the organization and its employees. Engaging employees in active philanthropic programs can help an organization to achieve multiple milestones.

Supporting An Internal Culture

The primary benefit that an organization stands to reap from a well-coordinated corporate-based philanthropy program is the reinforcement of a company’s culture and values, particularly those that have to do with building a strong relationship with the community. The company’s goal of creating for itself a positive image is further reinforced by the fact that its employees are actively involved in philanthropy. It allows an organization to nurture good relationships with the community.

Attracting & Retaining Employees

Employees love organizations that are actively growing and highly reputable in the market. For organizations that are actively involved in philanthropic programs, attracting great talent will be a relatively easy process. Besides, retaining such employees in the long-term by winning their trust and commitment in the workplace proves to be an easy task. The flexibility that comes with contributing time and resources to serving the community gives employees the necessary motivation and time off from their day-to-day duties in the office.

Building Skills & Experiences

Employees contributing to corporate philanthropy also get a chance to earn valuable experience and build upon their careers. Different kinds of philanthropic programs targeted at a community can give different employees opportunities to exercise their useful skills that can otherwise easily go dormant. For example, employees who are passionate about teaching can get a chance to apply their skills and acquire new ones when teaching a given community about specific topics, such as cleanliness and other social-cultural issues.

Deeper Market Penetration

Organizations that get a chance to serve the wider community through corporate philanthropy stand to benefit in multiple ways, one of which is the ability to penetrate into a wider and bigger market. Supporting a given community through charitable programs provides a business with the opportunity to expand its brand awareness, something that can easily translate to sales and other financial benefits.

This article was originally published at AndrewLeighPhilanthropy.org.