How to…work with corporates

Working with corporates can be a powerful way to grow your social enterprise or charity. This overview is for organisations that want to understand how CSR works and how to develop mutually beneficial partnerships.

What is corporate social responsibility?

Corporate social responsibility is how a company takes responsibility for its impact on society and the environment.

CSR activity can be:

Separate from core business:

• Charitable donations and grants
• Staff fundraising and payroll giving
• Staff volunteering and community projects

Aligned with business goals:

• Pro-bono or discounted services
• Social or environmental commitments within supply chains
• Climate and sustainability initiatives
• Diversity, equity and inclusion programmes

You may also see related terms like “ESG” (environmental, social and governance), “corporate citizenship” or “sustainability strategy”. These are all ways companies show they care about people and planet.

Types of support corporates can offer

Think beyond “a donation”. There are many ways companies can support your work:

Funding and sponsorship

• One-off or multi-year grants
• Event or programme sponsorship

Skills and pro-bono support

• Help with legal, finance, HR, marketing or IT
• Mentoring or coaching for leaders or programme participants

Volunteering

• Team volunteering days
• Longer-term, skills-based placements

In-kind support

• Use of meeting rooms or event space
• Donated products or equipment

Access to supply chains

• Becoming a paid supplier of services or goods
• Promoting your offer to staff or customers

Understanding CSR budgets

CSR-related support might come from different budgets within the same company. If one route isn’t successful, explore others.

Look into:

• Charitable foundations or community funds
• CSR or sustainability team budgets
• Business units or marketing teams
• Match-funding for employee giving
• Pro-bono or staff volunteering schemes

Tip: Always research how decisions are made and how to apply.

Finding a good fit

A strong partnership is built on shared values and mutual benefit.

Before you approach a corporate, ask yourself:

• Does their CSR strategy align with our mission?
• What types of projects do they already support?
• Can we show a clear fit between our work and their priorities?

Be clear about your ask, your impact and why you’re the right partner. CSR teams receive many requests — specific and aligned proposals stand out.

Questions to consider before approaching

To be effective, get clear on your needs and offer:

What do you want?

• A grant, sponsorship, pro-bono support, volunteers or long-term partnership?

What’s the impact?

• What will their support help you achieve?

What’s your capacity?

• Can your team deliver the work? Will it stretch your resources?

What are their expectations?

• Reporting, safeguarding, branding and communications

What does success look like?

• For your organisation
• For them (e.g. staff engagement, reputation, community impact)

Can you offer opportunities to engage?

• Volunteering days
• Site visits
• Events or talks
• Beneficiary stories

How will you communicate the partnership?

• Joint PR or social media
• Internal comms within the company
• Case studies

Values, risks and reputational fit

Not every corporate is a good partner.

Ask:

• Do our values align?
• Could their business undermine the change we’re working towards?
• How would our beneficiaries and community feel about the partnership?
• What are we not willing to compromise on?

It’s helpful to have internal guidelines on partnership decisions.

Having a champion inside the company

A named person inside the company can make all the difference.

Look for someone who can:

• Advocate for you internally
• Help you understand processes
• Keep your work visible beyond the CSR team

If you don’t have a contact, start by asking your team, supporters or trustees. LinkedIn and networking events can also help.

Maintaining and growing the relationship

Corporate partnerships take effort to secure — and to sustain.

Good practice includes:

• Open, honest communication
• Clear reporting on impact, using stories and data
• Opportunities for staff to engage and see the impact first-hand
• Looking for ways to deepen the relationship over time

Next steps

Before contacting a corporate:

1. Be clear on what you want and what you offer.
2. Research companies that align with your values and goals.
3. Prepare a one-page proposal summarising:
   • Your organisation and impact
   • What support you’re asking for
   • Why it’s a good fit
   • What success looks like for both sides