20 innovative ways companies can contribute to their communities

[Pledge 1]

Author: Fast Company Executive Board
Originally posted on Fast Company

As consumers become more focused on brands that practice corporate social responsibility, more and more companies are finding impactful ways to make a positive mark on their local communities. Forward-thinking businesses are spearheading work programs, offering financial assistance, and nurturing entrepreneurial talents in their neighborhoods.

Here, Fast Company Executive Board members discuss the strategies companies can adopt to contribute to their local communities in an impactful way. Follow their recommendations to create a lasting and meaningful change in your community beyond your bottom line.

1. ALIGN WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INITIATIVES.

Companies can establish impactful community engagement by aligning with local environmental and social initiatives. Fostering partnerships with entities that assist in reducing your environmental footprint not only aids in eliminating pollution but also actively contributes to the restoration and conservation of the local community and ecosystem. – Kenneth Svendsen, Oasis Marinas 

2. OFFER PAID INTERNSHIPS.

Paid internships for different levels of skills and needs are certainly an option. Typically, we think of internships as an opportunity only for students. However, people in need financially or even who may be looking to develop real-world skills to make career transitions can benefit from short- or long-term paid internship opportunities. – Jeffery Keilholtz, Broadway Licensing Global 

3. ENCOURAGE DAYS OF SERVICE.

The opportunity to impact local communities increases when you consider the rise in remote or hybrid work environments. With employees dispersed across regions and geographic locations, a day of service enables people to participate or get educated in local programs or band together for virtual activities or sponsorships that have more of a global impact. – Karen Budell, Totango

4. FORGE PARTNERSHIPS WITH EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS.

Partnerships with local universities and technical institutes can allow a company to contribute to the local community while encouraging innovation and helping ensure a steady supply of skilled, engaged labor. Whether through research grants, internships, scholarships, or other development programs, collaboration between industry and education can help advance the goals of both institutions. – Mike Field, The Raymond Corporation

5. OFFER FREE MENTORING AND SKILL BUILDING.

In the creative field of advertising, social media, design, and digital design, an “agency or company” school that provides free mentoring and skill building is invaluable. It doesn’t require a college degree or even a high school diploma. Artistic ability comes from experience, building confidence at a young age, and stokes passion which is how best to build a career. – Peter Nicholson, Hill Holliday

6. CREATE AN ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM.

You can work with community leaders to create entrepreneurship programs, have workshops to train, coach people from the community on the value of innovation, and train them on technology. Help them build new skills. Work with small businesses and try to determine synergies among local small businesses to create an ecosystem for them to work together and collaborate to help each other. – Kaitki Agarwal, A5G Networks, Inc.

7. GET INVOLVED IN EVERY ASPECT.

We apply our time, talent, and treasure. For example, we donate over $60,000 in time to support nonprofits each year with the PR and marketing needed. We also have a volunteerism program that allows us to pick nonprofits in our community that need volunteers. Finally, we encourage our team to provide expertise by being on local boards, speaking at universities, and providing mentoring and internships. – Kathleen Lucente, Red Fan Communications

8. CREATE PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL LEADERS.

Connect and speak with local government and NGO leaders. Offer special events for local entrepreneurs with heavy discounts, training, and quick-start engagement opportunities. It’s essential not to make assumptions about the local community’s needs. Engaging with the community on economic, entrepreneurial, and work empowerment opens up conversation and partnership opportunities with value for all. – Jimmie Lee, JLEE

9. HIRE FROM THE LOCAL COLLEGE COMMUNITY.

Hire from the local college community people hungry to learn your business. The investment is steep. You’ll need to spend the time and energy to train these people. They won’t have the business acumen of more senior hires. They’ll often go on to other companies, taking your insights with them. But this is an excellent way to help locals step into positions they otherwise would not have access to. – Robert Brill, Brill Media

10. ELEVATE YOUR EMPLOYEES TO MAKE AN IMPACT OUTSIDE OF WORK.

We make sure everyone has a professional development plan and that whatever limitations may have been set upon you in the past are left at the door when you enter our workforce. We elevate our employees as high as they can go and this has a ripple effect on the community at large. The rising tide lifts all boats. – Esther Kestenbaum Prozan, Flowspace, Inc.

11. OFFER SKILLS-BASED PROGRAMS IN YOUR AREA OF EXPERTISE.

Create programs that build skills related to what your company does best. This not only helps people in your local community become more employable, but it also strengthens your company’s reputation in the community, making it easier to attract great talent in the future. – Gergo Vari, Lensa

12. ESTABLISH A ‘COMMUNITY INCUBATOR PROGRAM.’

Create a “community incubator program,” to combine work programs, financial assistance, and entrepreneurial development to curate local talent and address community-specific challenges. Program efforts include identifying community needs, engaging local entrepreneurs, selecting projects, mentoring, providing resources, creating networking opportunities, involving employees, and measuring success. – Britton Bloch, Navy Federal

13. HIRE FROM YOUR COMMUNITY.

Hiring from a community is actually the best way to provide help. Cash grants, donations, and other forms of help are good. However, creating a job for someone in the area is a real way to create hope and wealth among the local residents. The more the locals are involved with your company, the less they will view your presence as an insignificant matter in their lives. – Zain Jaffer, Zain Ventures

14. FOCUS ON SUPPORTING THE YOUTH.

A powerful way to contribute to local communities is by supporting the youth with internships, free training, and mentorship. Most people grow up not knowing the opportunities that are out there, and the right advice at the right time can change a young person’s life trajectory for the better. Create programs for schools and community centers in this way to make a difference. – Syed Balkhi, WPBeginner

15. OFFER MICRO-GRANTS OR INTEREST-FREE LOANS TO STARTUPS.

An innovative way for companies to support local communities is by launching a mentorship and funding program, where employees mentor local entrepreneurs and small businesses, and the company offers micro-grants or interest-free loans to promising startups, particularly those addressing social or environmental challenges. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC

16. SHOWCASE AND RECOMMEND YOUR INTERNS ON LINKEDIN.

Leverage interns from local universities, trade schools, or community colleges. They will appreciate the “real world” experience and you will be able to help students along the way on their journey and help build their resume. Give your intern a boost on LinkedIn by recommending them and showcasing their work. – Jo Ann Herold, Herold Growth Consulting

17. CREATE A SKILLS EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

A skills exchange program goes beyond monetary donations and makes a meaningful impact on your local community. This method leverages the unique strengths of a company matched with the needs of the community. You can do this by collaborating with local stakeholders, mapping and then matching skills to needs, structuring volunteer programs, purposeful financial assistance, and measuring the impact. – Alexander Kwapis,The Wild Dirt

18. COLLABORATE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE A COMMUNITY IMPACT.

Collaborate with other large industries by finding joint venture projects that benefit the community, particularly those offering apprenticeships. Joining forces with other companies creates unexpected professional bonds and casts larger nets throughout the community, doubling what you can offer residents and maximizing reach and results. – Larry Brinker Jr., BRINKER

19. IMPROVE STEM CAREER OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE FUTURE WORKFORCE.

Businesses have an opportunity to engage with local students and educational institutions to invest in the future workforce—advancing entrepreneurship, experiential learning, and curriculum development. At my company, we’ve launched an internship program and have worked with the Chicago Tech Academy, supporting our Pledge 1% commitment to improve equitable STEM education access. – Godard Abel, G2

20. INVEST IN THE TALENT POOL IN YOUR BACKYARD.

Build an apprenticeship program and partner with local unemployment offices, community colleges, universities, and even high schools. Not all jobs should require four-year degrees and there are ways to build career pathways within your organization. If you can’t afford an apprenticeship, launch a mentorship program in your community and partner with your rising star employees to serve as mentors. – Mack McKelvey, SalientMG