Member Article

Clashes of culture limiting success of corporate partnerships

A study by social change agency, Forster Communications reveals the potential for corporate partnerships to work harder and achieve more for businesses and charities alike. Moving beyond just financial giving and finding ways to engage more deeply could unlock social change through aligned purpose, products and staff engagement.

In the study, Forster consulted 28 charities with annual incomes ranging from £1m to over £200m. It identifies cultural and logistical differences between the charity and business sectors as key challenges to overcome in order to work more closely together. Over three quarters[i] of charities feel genuine buy-in from partners’ senior teams is a limiting factor. Almost half[ii] say corporates need to do more to motivate their staff to get behind the partnership and 85% call for more integration to help ensure the best possible outcome.

Forster’s Business to Society research conducted with over 700 business leaders earlier in the year revealed they also have a desire to do more to address social need. Over half[iii] of business leaders agreed they should be doing more to tackle the social issues faced by our society and 56% said they should be part of the solution to tackling climate change.

Whilst 70% of the charities surveyed said the first aspect of a partnership they look at is the money on offer, increasingly a brand’s social purpose is of significant importance[iv]. All charities surveyed said that they consider potential partners’ brand values and over two thirds[v] said they had rejected a partnership due to fears of negative brand association.

George Ames, Head of the Forster’s Activation practice said:

“Charities are currently caught between an urgent need to fundraise to support existing services and the desire to build longer term, solution orientated partnerships for change. While the potential for corporate-charity collaboration is clear, the reality is often frustrating with the majority of relationships still based on passive giving from business to charity.

“We know this is starting to change and there are examples of active and involved partnerships being led by progressive leaders from both sectors, undoubtedly delivering better value for both partners. It requires new thinking and the ability to try and test over the long term, but the long term potential of uniting the different insights, knowledge and resources around a common cause is very exciting.”

Charities have indicated that retail, leisure and the banking industries are the sectors they are most keen to partner with, with energy, manufacturing and housing some of the least attractive.

The study coincides with the launch of Forster’s new Activation practice. The practice applies what has been learnt through almost 20 years of Forster’s behaviour change work to PR campaigns designed to move people to support a cause, consume better, join a movement or campaign for change. Forster is committed to accelerating social change.

[i] 78% of charities say getting genuine and sustained buy-in from their senior teams is the greatest challenge when working with corporate partners

[ii] 48% of charities say motivating their staff to get behind the activity to increase impact greatest challenge when working with corporate partners

[iii] 53%

[iv] 54%

[v] 69%

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sarah Shelly .