What’s more important for a business than a clear sense of purpose? Time and time again research shows that the key to longevity and adaptability in business is an effective and clear purpose-driven agenda.
This sense of purpose not only makes a business unique but it allows it to evolve and transform, consciously and strategically securing the future of the company.
Consumers are increasingly engaging with businesses that have a social purpose which is well aligned with their functional benefits.
Being the start of a new year (and a year which we can all agree we enter into with some uncertainty), it’s time to get thinking about what is in our power to change, how your business can better align growth objectives by committing to a worthy cause. Instilling a sense of purpose and social impact within your business growth strategy at the start of the year will ultimately act to drive creative solutions and forge collaborative partnerships, and 2020 is the year to do it.
Purpose-driven businesses are also not only able to create positive change in the world but a clear sense of drive strengthens employee satisfaction, promotes productivity and can ultimately improve staff retention.
It can give a business the commercial resilience it needs to compete in a crowded market. Organisational purpose engages and enthuses the emerging workforce – a workforce that is attracted to companies whose values mirror their own.
PwC’s recent Workforce of the Future survey found that 88% of millennials want to work for a company whose values reflect their own. By 2025, millennials will comprise 75%t of the global workforce. Businesses with a clear purpose better resonate with the ethically and socially conscious consumer.
Criona Knight, head of partnerships and philanthropy at CHAS, said: “In this day and age it is not simply about handing over a cheque to a charity, it has to be about more than that. We are looking to partner with companies that are looking to affect real change across Scotland, who want their teams to have a significant impact on the country they work in, where they are giving back to the communities who support them. We want them to be able to say ‘we did that’.
“Through this type of partnership not only will they be furthering the provision of children’s palliative care throughout Scotland but enabling their staff to have a sense of achievement and feel assured they have enabled CHAS to reach more families than ever before.
“They will feel confident in the knowledge that their support has meant parents throughout Scotland are making the most of the short time they have with their children. Every moment with their child is precious and therefore we have a responsibility to make sure these partnerships start now.
“The impact of these partners will be immediate for the children and families we care for right now and will leave a legacy for those that we have yet to get to!”
So how do you ensure your business picks the right charitable partner? There are thousands of worthy causes in Scotland but Knight explains what makes CHAS stand out to prospective corporate clients: “Each corporate relationship with a charity should be bespoke. No two companies’ objectives are identical and therefore partnerships shouldn’t be either.
“We are committed to ensuring that we align ourselves with the business objectives of our partners so they can see the business benefits, be that through staff engagement or demonstrating the difference they are making to communities throughout Scotland.
“We offer a suite of opportunities to engage their teams in all business sectors but we are also flexible enough that we can accommodate any fundraising aspirations and innovations their teams may have.”
In recognition of that truly purpose-driven agenda, CHAS is launching its Partners for Joy Initiative in 2020 – where it will be looking to partner with a select group of individuals, businesses and trusts from all over Scotland to transform the provision of children’s palliative care across the whole country.
“These businesses will enable the realisation of our new CHAS Plan, ensuring families, when the life of their child is short, can make the most of every moment and create memories that will be treasured after the child’s death.”
