Now in its eleventh year, Giving Tuesday is a global campaign that encourages individuals and businesses alike to act to support good causes. This year’s event is set to take place on November 29th, so now is the perfect time to start planning how Giving Tuesday 2022 can play a part in your Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
What is Giving Tuesday?
Giving Tuesday began in the USA in 2012 and takes place each year on the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving. That means it comes right after the unbridled consumerism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which are now as much a part of British life as they are American.
The first UK Giving Tuesday took place in 2014, and since then it has grown and grown.
What makes Giving Tuesday different from many other annual charitable events is that it’s simply an umbrella for the activities of the thousands of people and organisations that do good under its auspices.
Partners are given free rein to personalise their campaigns and showcase their own charitable work, under the general banner of Giving Tuesday.
This will be the first year that Giving Tuesday UK has been led by the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, rather than CAF. Head of Policy and Communications Dan Fluskey has said:
“When times are hard and the need we see in our communities is so great, it is really important for charities to continue to fundraise so the absolutely vital work they do can continue. An opportunity like Giving Tuesday is great because it promotes giving and provides an opportunity for charities and businesses to fundraise together, but also allows space for non-financial contributions and allows anyone to be involved on their own terms.”
How to integrate Giving Tuesday into your CSR and Social Value Strategies
With events happening in more than 60 countries worldwide, and over 360 million impressions on Twitter #Giving Tuesday in 2021, Giving Tuesday is a fantastic opportunity to highlight corporate volunteering, charity, CSR and Social Value achievements and initiatives.
It’s a chance to let the world know what your business is doing and to thank your employees for their efforts in a context of global celebration.
Indeed, Giving Tuesday’s ethos dovetails precisely with the spirit that drives CSR. It advocates “radical generosity”:
“Generosity not as a benevolence that the haves show to the have-nots but rather an expression of mutuality, solidarity, and reciprocity.”
To make the most of this opportunity:
- Sign up as a Giving Tuesday partner
It’s free, your logo will be backlinked from their website and you’ll be sent materials and campaign updates as the big day approaches.
Take a look at partner stories on their site for inspiration. If you’re a small business, this guide to what you can do will be helpful.
- Partner with causes that reflect your values and what you have to offer
Assess where you want to make a difference and what your people can contribute – whether it’s money, time, expertise or even just publicity.
- Here’s a link to Giving Tuesday’s amazing diagram, pictured below.
- Communicate internally, to boost employee engagement
Your employees are your best advocates, so make sure they are bought into spreading the word. As the world begins to get back to normal after Covid-19, Giving Tuesday 2022 is a chance to reinforce the employee engagement agenda of your CSR programme by celebrating and thanking them for their efforts.
- Plan your media outreach to raise public awareness
Giving Tuesday UK has made it easy for you to tap into the movement’s massive reach – #Giving Tuesday trended on Twitter all day last year and is likely to do so again – with plenty of resources, including:
- Model press releases
- Social media post templates
- Hashtags to use
- Ideas for activities
The cost of living crisis and the situation in Ukraine have seen major corporate efforts across 2022 so far. Giving Tuesday is an ideal opportunity to celebrate everything your business and your staff have done this year.
But remember: keep the focus on the impact, the cause, and your employees. The story is not about you!
- Numbers speak louder than words
If there’s one thing any PR person will tell you, it’s that numbers make a bigger impression than words. So quantify your activities for maximum impact:
- # of pounds raised or value of services given
- # of hours donated
- # of people helped
- Etc
This is also the language that shareholders and directors will want to hear when you report back on your accomplishments as part of your annual report process. So turning those stories into figures is a double win!
If collecting and interpreting the data from your CSR and volunteering activities is proving a challenge, drop us a line to find out how Thrive can help.
Tools to help your Giving Tuesday succeed
Giving Tuesday UK has made lots of materials available, but if you’re looking for more inspiration check out some of the American resources we’ve selected for you – along with some other helpful tools and organisations.
- Resources for business from Giving Tuesday
- Social media 2022 assets
- Giving Tuesday resources from the USA
- Classy’s Giving Tuesday resource centre (for non-profits, but relevant to businesses)
- LM3 – Online resource for calculating your impact in a geographical area
- Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability – professional organisation for CSR
We’d love to hear what you’ve got in store for Giving Tuesday 2022, so if you’ve got something special planned please follow Thrive on LinkedIn and tell us about it!
Mary-Louise Fellowes
Head of Marketing More articles by Mary-Lou >
