COMMENT When I worked in the not-for-profit sector it was tough, but I can’t imagine how much more challenging it is in 2024.
On a daily basis I would interact with people facing some of the most difficult situations imaginable. Children and families with disabilities unable to get the vital support they needed, young people facing incredible hardship simply because of the postcode they were born into, homelessness services turning people away as there were not enough beds to accommodate them and elderly people whose only social interaction was when their care worker came into their home. Sadly, the list goes on.
Charities plug the gap between services funded by the government and the needs within the community. As an industry, we have had to weather the recent economic impacts of world events, and the charitable sector has also faced these challenges but compounded by two unique factors.
As the cost-of-living crisis has worsened in the UK, more people are reliant on charitable services. The Charity Aid Foundation reported this year that 81% of charities have seen the demand for their services increase. This demand has come at the same time as charities face rising costs to deliver their services – both the cost of bills and the cost of personnel. Only 55% of charities feel confident they can meet their overheads. Disposable income levels are also down as households tighten up their own budgets, leading to what some have described as a “cost-of-giving” crisis.
On a mission
Every week I observe more charities undertaking initiatives to try and ensure they stay afloat. This is why our corporate social responsibility efforts have never been more important. I have spoken to many charity leaders about the need to optimise corporate relationships and deliver value beyond financial donations. While it is essential that a charity keeps its lights on, the corporate/charity relationship has a huge amount to offer that is often underutilised.
Since joining CBRE three years ago, I have been on a mission to unlock and deliver more for the charities we partner with.
CBRE has a long and successful history of partnering with charities. Through a mix of corporate donations, staff fundraising, high-value events, pro bono activity and skill sharing, we are proud to have added nearly £5m in value for the partners we have worked with. Our success has come down to three key factors:
- Our employees choose our primary charity partner. We received more than 100 nominations for causes in 2023, with 3,500 people voting in the final selection. Our people are engaged with the charities and causes we support.
- The fundraising is ring-fenced for projects that can demonstrate impact and add social value. We show that 100% of our fundraising goes directly to the causes voted for by our employees.
- Seeing is believing. We show our colleagues directly the impact they are having. These moments build trust that the money fundraised or donated is meaningfully creating change and that our employees are the driving force behind that.
This approach is core to engaging our workforce in our CSR activities. In January this year, we launched our partnership with Alzheimer’s Society and to date have raised more than £300,000. The relationship is fast growing, with the cause resonating with different generations and regions across the organisation, which is really galvanising our workforce.
But our industry has more than fundraisers and corporate donations to offer. We also have a skilled workforce who can add value to the charities we support, and pro bono work is one way to achieve this. Many charities have real estate requirements and our technical skills are well placed to support them.
More than financial support
LandAid recently launched its new five-year strategy, acknowledging that the issue of youth homelessness is getting progressively worse. CBRE is a proud founding partner of the LandAid pro bono programme, supporting their mission beyond mere financial donations since 2021. The shared ambition for the sector is to provide at least £1m of pro bono support per year though the programme. Without this support, organisations will not be able to create the bed spaces to tackle the issues facing young people today.
So my ask of the industry is this; take the time to truly understand the charities that you are partnering with, their needs and how you can best support them. Having conversations that define scope, join up leaders and facilitate dialogue about the future strategy of the charity can really unlock how we move CSR relationships forward. This will ultimately add the most value and help your charity partners deliver critical services where they are most needed.
James Brandon is director, UK diversity, equity and inclusion and responsible business manager at CBRE
