11 Ways for Companies to Make Positive Social Change During the Holidays

November 11, 2021

11 Ways for Companies to Make Positive Social Change During the Holidays

What is one way companies can make positive social change this holiday season?
To help you find ways to make an impact during a time of gratitude and festivities, we asked business professionals and leaders this question for their insights. From sponsoring a gift drive to offering paid time off for community service, there are several ways to make a positive social change during the holiday season.

Here are 11 ways for companies to make a positive social change:

• Sponsor a Gift Drive Event
• Educate Employees on Sustainable Habits
• Create Authentic, Powerful Moments
• Focus on Disadvantaged Communities
• Target a Charity to Sponsor
• Off Paid Time Off for Community Service
• Make Noise to Create Awareness
• Collaborating With Non-Profits With Shared Values
• Encourage Community Contributions
• Look Inward for Ways to Reflect Your Values
• Collaborate With Feeding America

 

Sponsor a Gift Drive Event

Companies can sponsor or host a gift drive for foster kids. Holiday seasons can be especially difficult for children that have been victims of abuse and neglect, so why not help to brighten the season with a special gift? Gifts often help brighten kids' spirits and provide some much needed joy and laughter especially during this time of the year.
Ashleigh Wilkes, A World For Children

Focus on Disadvantaged Communities

Companies love to show they are giving back to their communities around the holidays, but they often focus their efforts on partnerships with big nonprofit entities. The best way for a company to make a positive social change this holiday season is by instead targeting local disadvantaged communities for their charitable endeavors. Do what you can to help those around you. They need it, they will appreciate it, and they'll remember you for it.
Dan Reck, MATClinics

Encourage Community Contribution

At Stuart Hall, one of our six goals is citizenship, where we encourage our student body to contribute to their community. Many companies already offer employees or teams charitable volunteer opportunities throughout the year, which is a great example of the principle at work. Doing so around the holidays, though, is a terrific way for companies to give back to their community at a time when so many need it more than ever. Companies of any size can organize volunteer days at soup kitchens or homeless shelters, or even just create a donation drive. Turkey meal donations to needy families for Thanksgiving or even Christmas tree or gift donations, can build up a lot of goodwill and appreciation and really help people.
Sharon Arne, Stuart Hall School

Educate Employees on Sustainable Habits

Something that people may not think about is the environmental effects related to holiday shopping. With the holiday rollouts also comes an increase in food waste, shopping bags, gift wraps for presents, and purchasing gifts that could have large carbon footprints.
An easy initiative that companies can implement is host a training seminar for employees on how to holiday shop with a sustainable mindset. This could include making your own gifts instead of buying them, giving loved ones experiences rather than wrapped presents, and purchasing from local businesses.
Thylan Le, Markitors

Create Authentic, Powerful Moments

Companies can make positive social change by creating powerful moments that are authentic and consistent with their brand. The concept of creating memorable moments is discussed in the book "The Power of Moments" written by Chip Heath.
Heath talks about how you have the power to create your own exciting and memorable moments that can stand out to your audience and make a difference. This is exactly what an idea like the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge achieved. With a bit of creativity, your options are endless this holiday season.
Audrey Hutnick, Smallwave Marketing

Target a Charity to Sponsor

Nothing brings people of all creeds together like the holidays. Therefore, try deciding on a charity to sponsor for the holiday season. It could be something as mindful as holding a fundraiser, gifting presents, or just simply investing your time promoting their overall mission.
Make sure that it is a charity that all employees are passionate about helping. I find that typically any charity that specializes in helping families and children is always a go-to, but feel free to find a charity that aligns with the mission of the company.
Tom Mumford, Undergrads

Offer Paid Time Off for Community Service

This holiday season, companies can make positive social change by providing their employees with paid time off to support those in their community. This will allow employees to focus on their families and friends as well as volunteer or work at a nonprofit organization.
By giving this gift of time, this company is demonstrating that they care about the well-being of the people around them.
Chris Panteli, LifeUpswing

Make Noise to Create Awareness

When it comes to positive social impact, even the smallest actions eventually amount to bigger things. Something as simple as using your platform to create awareness on critical social topics could be a great starting point.
Organizations can get creative and come up with a number of different ways to start such conversations with their audience, both engaging and educating them in the process.
Harry Morton, Lower Street

Collaborate With Non-Profits With Shared Values

Intention plays a huge role when it comes to making a long-lasting change. While working together with non-profit organizations is a great start, it makes more of an impact when you share the same values, missions, and ethical perspectives of that organization.
Otherwise, you're simply doing it for the sake of the act and not really putting much thought into the action.
Riley Beam, Douglas R. Beam, P.A.

Look Inward for Ways to Reflect Your Values

One way your company can make positive social changes this holiday season is to look within and ensure your company reflects the values you claim to support. If you believe in standing with important causes, then ensure you truly do stand with them by using your brand's platforms to amplify their voices and initiatives.
Make any changes necessary to ensure your company reflects the values that you support both inside and outside. For example at my company, through our EasyGiving program, customers can choose to donate to their choice of three women-run nonprofits and EasyStandard will match 50% of that donation.
Sabrina Pereira, EasyStandard

Collaborate With Feeding America

When looking to make a positive social impact this holiday season, consider collaborating with Feeding America. A good way to collaborate with a local food bank of theirs is to donate food throughout the month of December and provide a meal to those in need during a time many of us consider to be one of joy and warmth.
Setting up time for your employees to volunteer at the local Feeding America food bank is another excellent way to contribute to a good cause and have an active hand in creating social good in the community.
Sacha Ferrandi, Source Capital

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