With an estimated 5.2 million businesses in the UK, millions of pounds in charitable donations can be raised for free via Give as you Live, helping to boost a business’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) profile and enabling employees to become more actively involved in giving in the workplace.
Research from Give as you Live shows that the majority of companies in the UK do not have a named charity to support – with 40 per cent of workers stating that their company has no official charity they’re supporting, whilst a further fifth (22 per cent) are unsure if their company supports charity at all. Just under half of UK workers (44 per cent) said that they feel that their company should be doing more to help charities and the local community.
Through the new platform, employees can sign up, select the registered business that they work for and choose a charity to raise money for. Employees are able to raise money for the charity that’s close to their heart, whilst contributing to a total amount raised by their fellow colleagues. Employees will also be able to see how many charities are being supported at their place of work as well as how much has been raised as a group.
Every time an employee shops through Give as you Live, a percentage of the purchase value is donated to the charity of their choice. This all happens at no extra cost, as Give as you Live makes the donation on the shopper’s behalf from the commission paid by the retailer. Give as you Live also offers price comparison, allowing users and businesses alike to get the best price for their purchases – whether it’s a train ticket, ink cartridges, office chairs or stationery supplies.
Greg Hallett, Managing Director at Give as you Live, said, “For many businesses, it is clear that the conversation about corporate charity support hasn’t been happening, yet employees feel passionately about it. This is because many businesses don’t engage the workforce in charitable efforts, primarily due to lack of resources. It’s assumed that charitable fundraising will take a lot of time, but the digital age means that charitable initiatives needn’t put pressure on people’s time and help to increase employee commitment and morale.”
Through Give as you Live, a stationery order of £100 can raise up to £8 for a company’s chosen charity. Additionally, many travel and accommodation companies – such as thetrainline.com, hotels.com and Expedia – are available to shop through, meaning a single business trip can raise a significant amount for charity.
