Corporate Philanthropy: The Case for Giving for Growth to Increase Employee Engagement and Strengthen Communities

Summary: Companies across the Western world are finding competitive advantage in embracing a culture of “giving for growth.” Whether of the millennial generation, or among the increasing number of adults experiencing “purpose starvation,” increasing numbers of employees welcome the opportunity to expand their own sense of mission and purpose through volunteerism at work and thus gravitate to companies offering such access. Companies are wise to leverage this cooperative esprit de corps to both have the reach and impact on a community it desires, while also fully engaging the talents and passions of their employees to their own corporate missions. Furthermore, many corporate leaders have learned that that to see desired change in their community, they must get physically involved - one way to do so is to mobilize their own army of do-gooders and inspire them to get involved in their own communities. Net result: increased employee engagement, bottom-line results, and healthier communities.