Hello Fans of Plans, can you believe it’s October already, where has this year gone? 

As I sit to write this fortnightly blog, I have the London Marathon on in the background. It’s incredible to see the elite athlete abilities alongside everyone going through their own personal journeys to enter the London Marathon. 

I love hearing about the charity stories and why people have chosen to run in support of a particular charity. This got me thinking about what we do in our workplaces to help support charitable causes. 

Charity plan

There  are many different ways that companies can help support local causes while also getting their employees involved too. An organisation can just choose a charity they’d like to support and donate a set amount to it. That’s all very well and good, but why not get a bit more creative about it and involve your whole workplace in getting behind a cause. 

Here are some tips on how you can do this:

• Volunteering – if possible why not encourage you colleagues to find a local cause that they would like to volunteer for. They can either do this individually, or as a team. Giving each employee a volunteering day they can book is a great gesture to your commitment to charitable giving. 

Think about local communities that might like help with a gardening project, or even helping to marshal a charity event. By getting your teams involved, they will feel a sense of connection to the local community and appreciate the time you are giving to them to support a cause important to them. 

• Annual fundraising event - getting all employees involved in raising money for a charity can be a great team building exercise. Canvass your colleagues and decide on the charity or charities you are going to be supporting. Think of an activity that is an inclusive as possible to encourage everyone to take part. Maybe you can also do some charity matching for the amount employees raise, your company will match their contribution. 

• Financial support for a local community – you can also think about helping to sponsor a local cause. Maybe you can sponsor a local amateur sports team or provide funding for a local community centre. By setting aside a budget each year for these endeavours, your organisation will be showing their sustainability by investing in the areas you operate in. 

With all of these initiatives, speak to your employees to gather their views on charitable giving. By doing this, you will be helping towards a great team atmosphere with your teams willing to get involved in something they have played a part in deciding.