6 Businesses Giving Back This Christmas: Ideas for Corporate Giving

Businesses are choosing to give back this Christmas, as they most often do. This year, however, their success in raising beyond their target donation amount is especially exciting. It shows that Australian businesses and communities are united despite adversity. Businesses are perhaps driven by Corporate Social Responsibility. Yet, this seems just a catalyst. We saw many businesses eagerly jump on the mycause platform again for their online Christmas fundraising. Despite recent difficulties, employees have been equally keen to share their gratitude along with generous donations. 

Corporate philanthropy is proven to benefit both employees and the business. Staff want to know what kind of business they’re a part of. Glassdoor jobs platform conducted a study in which 73 percent of respondents said they would not even apply for a job if the company values did not align with their own. Businesses benefit from the kinds of people corporate giving attracts. Director of Operations at Accenture A/NZ, Scott Hahn, says: ““We offer many ways for our people to give back to the community and we know that these initiatives help us attract and retain the very best talent who care about making a difference in the world.”

Accenture was recently named Australia’s top company for ‘giving back’ to the community. Businesses have been giving back more and more each year, reaching new heights in 2021. Australia’s top 50 corporate givers invested $1.2 billion into philanthropic efforts that year. This was measured as a $42 million increase from 2020, according to the latest Giving Large Report from Strive Philanthropy. The report highlights the need to attract and engage an increasingly younger workforce. Younger generations want to be an integral part of the positive impact on the community, whether as employees or donors. They also make deeper connections. These are important details to factor into Corporate Giving strategy. Here are six Charity fundraisers to consider for your Corporate Giving activities.

1. Rozelle Gives Back

The Rozelle Interchange Project, a new underground motorway interchange in Sydney, has focused on giving back to struggling families. “Just as we did in 2020, the Project will be running an End of Year Gift Drive and fundraiser to spread some joy to those families who've done it tough,” they wrote on their mycause fundraising page. Targeting a current issue and fundraising for the need, rather than the routine of Christmas fundraising, paid dividends. The group raised above their target of $50,000 for the Harding-Miller Foundation.

The activity also received grateful messages from employees. Messages included: “It's great to see a company giving back to the community and proud to be on a project that gives me the ability to help out wherever I can. Thank you” and “This is a great time to reflect on all that has been done and be grateful for all the good things or blessings we have received during this year. Many people have been affected by COVID and floods….It’s time to recap all learnings and experiences that have strengthened us as human beings. It’s time to be grateful for all we have and be aware of people who need our help.”

2. Annual Christmas Decoration Competition

Staff are invited to join in the festivities and fundraise for charity in a unique way at this business. Australian Country Choice holds a Christmas Decoration Competition each year that raises money for charity while bringing joy to the office. Each department teams up to decorate their work space. Employees then vote for their favourite decorations when they make a donation through mycause. This year, they are raising money for LifeFlight and Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia.

There are many benefits to creating a business-wide team competition. Employees are walking around the office, maybe even going somewhere they haven’t been until the competition. They are therefore meeting more co-workers and having conversations they otherwise wouldn’t, which leads to greater innovation and collaboration. This is a great way of connecting unrelated departments. It is also a lovely team building experience within each section of the business. 

3. Give Back with a Christmas Challenge

A Christmas challenge is also a great team building activity. Dexion Victoria and National Make Good Solutions chose a month-long task to fundraise for The Salvation Army Melbourne Project 614. “[We] wanted to connect our staff to an aligned purpose to give back to the community…What better way than to finish 2022 off with a purpose bigger than us all,” they wrote on their mycause fundraising page.

The activity offers team and individual participation. “As a business we will walk around Australia logging our walks via Strava App. Once a week EVERYONE in the business will walk together outside of whatever walks they do.” The companies are not just raising money. They have also volunteered for a day. They will see the “fruits of their labour” in action when they help at the Salvation Army Cans Film Festival in December. The business groups achieved their $10,000 donation target and over 800 kms of walking. “We want this to turn into an annual event and see us help those less fortunate than us.”

4. Easy Weekly Fundraising Activity 

A weekly activity doesn’t have to take extra time out of anyone’s routine. This is important to consider if your employees are particularly time-poor, as many people are. The team at Boylan Lawyers chose a simple activity that doesn’t take extra time or effort. For the month of December, they will wear casual clothes on Friday’s to fundraise for Foodbank South Australia. 

Give to Staff as well as the Community

Possibly the best activity is one that gives back to staff as well as the community. This Christmas, the families from Squeakers will get to keep a treasured memory while they donate to charity. Photographer, Dillon Price, is taking their photos at their Christmas Party in Lawson Park, where the whole family is invited. To access their child's photo, they simply need to donate an amount of their choosing and register for the online gallery. Very simple, and families can participate at the level they can. The money raised is for the Ronald McDonald House.

5. Giving back with each business sale

McIntyre Finance has chosen a different way to give back this Christmas. The business is making a $40 donation per loan submission received during their campaign period. This is an excellent way to incentivise employees to work hard bringing in new sales or increasing their productivity. The activity is supporting Magic Moment’s Brisbane Basket Brigade.