These days a company’s barometer of success is transcending what the bottom line reads. The real bottom line is that a successful company is a socially conscious one.
According to marketing executives like Chris Sizemore, CEO of Creative Mischief, customers often take notice when a business or brand gives back to the community. That, in turn, can create bottom line impact because people want to do business with companies that make a difference.
“There has definitely been a shift in business and a commitment to social responsibility. Companies are finding ways to cut costs and be more sustainable, and are re-purposing the money they’re saving towards philanthropy and community work,” says Sizemore.
Philanthropy can also help companies attract talent, particularly among the rising number of Millennials in the workforce. According to a 2014 survey by Deloitte, 6 out of 10 Millennials said a “sense of purpose” was part of the reason they chose to work for their current employers.
That's why more and more companies, including Shawmut Communications Group, are taking on company-wide passion projects. By collectively pursuing a common goal, the organization can strengthen their commitment to the communities and customers they serve and create a deeper impact.
How to Find Your Brand’s Passion Projects
Whether your organization is looking to fund individual employee projects or collectively give back here’s a few ways to find your passion projects:
Ask your employees: Whether you run a competition on Twitter similar to the American Express campaign, conduct a survey or simply send an email, asking employees is the first step to discovering great passion projects. Find out what motivates your employees, where they volunteer, and what causes they already support. And the more opportunities you find that fit your company’s mission, the better.
Look to your Industry: Contact industry associations and find out where the gaps are. Does your industry need to decrease its environmental impact? Do you need to invest in campaigns to educate or attract new segments of your workforce? Is the opportunity to fund ideas for new products or industry innovations?
Talk to your Customers: Similar to employees, your customers can be a huge source of inspiration for passion projects. Follow them on social media and see what causes they are involved both at the individual and brand level. Look for symmetries and causes that tie into your organization’s mission so you can form partnerships to strengthen your impact.
Join Shawmut in Supporting RAW Art Works in 2016
In the coming weeks, Shawmut is kicking off our passion project and partnership with a local non-profit called RAW Art Works (RAW). Located in Lynn, MA, RAW uses the power of art to inspire thousands of young artists to transform their lives. They offer a variety of programs including visual arts, a print shop, film school, leadership development, and teen employment.
“We believe the students at RAW are the future of our industry,” said Michael Peluso, president of Shawmut. “As the average age of staff in the print industry continues to rise, now more than ever we need to invest in our youth and show them all of the exciting opportunities in our industry. The students at RAW, go on to become marketers, designers, and print professionals and we’re excited to be investing in their future and ours.”
Shawmut will be asking our community to join us in supporting RAW’s vital programming. We’ll send out communications each quarter giving you an opportunity to learn more about RAW and get involved in the campaign. Each time someone participates, by submitting a contact form or sharing on social media, Shawmut will donate to RAW—helping to support next generation of marketing and print professionals. So be on the lookout for materials to hit your mailboxes and get ready to help us support RAW throughout 2016.
To learn more or sign up for our mailing list, please contact us.
